VERSES OLD AND NEW.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 9

VERSES OLD AND NEW.

1 A GRAVE. Thci life should como ••• >..■ - v r . With .its marshalled .honours, trump. and , t drum , To offer you tlio captaincy of somo ; H i, ; Bcsounding. exploit,, that shall fill,. •"" •' Man's- pulses with comutomonitivo tKrill, And bb a banner to. far . battle days '• .. Tor truths unrisen upon untvod ways,' • What would your answer be, • , 0 heart onco braveP ■ t Seek otherwise: for mo, ; . . ; 1 watch beside a grave. v flio to some shining festival of thought ; , , 'rTho-sages'call;you .from steep_oitadel ■ ! hasuohedargument,;.Avhos9.:rampart; gained . l'ields tho :: pure visions passionately]sought, .: In dreams known well, ".■■■ But never .yet in wakefulness attained, How should you to. their summons, save: I watch beside a grave? ■■ Tho Beauty, from her face within, the soul ■ Of fire-tongued, seers descending, Or from the.■,dream-lit teni pies ■ of .-.the -past ; With feet immortal"wending, • Illuminate'.'griefs antre . swart and vast :./!' : '?.AVith^b^Tea^.'lace'--,that. promises the whole To him who holds hor fast, ' '..What answer could-you give? • Sight of ono face I .crave, ■ Dno only while 1 liver ■ . • Woo elsewhere; for-1 watch beside, a,grave.> Fho love of the one heart that loves you best, A' storm-tossed messenger, : ... Should beat its wings for shelter in your breast, Where clung its last year's nest, - /The nest 'jou built together and made fast Lost, envious winds should stir, '■ ■ And winged each delicate thought ■ to / minister, With sweetness far-amassed _.; •',[■: : ': Ao'the young dreams - . • ' vWhat answer could it win? .' The nest was whelmod in soirow's rising wave, ' Nor could I rcach one drowning'dreanj to save; I .watch beside a grave.■.:/ i—Edith Wharton, in "Artemis and: Actaeon.'V i 1

THE PILGRIMAGE. I made a pilgrimage to find the God: t listened for his voice at holy tombs. Searched- for the print of his immortal' feet : ■ In dust' of broken altars;, yet turned, back ' ' With empty heart. But on the.homeward road, A great light came upon me, and I heard ...v The God's voice singing in'a nestling .lark; ; - Felt his sweet woDtler in a swaying \ Received his blessing from a wayfide well; Looked' on'his- beauty in. a lover's,face; . „ > Saw his bright hand-send signal from, the sun, ' —Edwin Markham.

' ON THE DEATH OF SWINBURNE. Ea trod'the earth but yesterday, I • And now-he:' treads .-...the-stars.., He left us in the.April-time He praised so often in his Thyme; • • He left:the> went his - way. .1.--

V : fle "drew new music from our tongue, A niusic subtly wrought, ,• ■ v,: ~7.,,;; ; ; , . And molded.words to his,deare As winds cloth mold a wave of fire; From, strangely fashioned harps 510w,., golden tones ho wrung. . . ■ 'I think the singing understands .../ That'he who "sang is still, <• ■■■:■ ■ And Iseultcries . that he is. dead ■Does not Dolores bow her head And Fragoletta weep and wring her little liand^.P■ ■: r '-/;■';;<v>.■/:; New singing now the singer hears I'o lyie and lute and liaip. Catullus waits to welcome him, ' And through the twilight 6appho's .forgotten songs are falling on his ;.-, e ? ls ' . :y' —Sarah Teasdalo. /