Select Poetry.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 29, 12 August 1871, Page 18

Select Poetry.

THE SKY. [by the author oe lilxiput lectures.] Into the skies, one summer’s day, I sent a little Thought away ; IJp to where, in the blue round, The sun sat shining without sound. Then my Thought came back to me. Little Thought, what did you see In the regions whence you come ? And when I spoke my Thought was dumb. But she breathed of what was there, In the pure bright upper air ; And, because my Thought so shone, I knew she had been shone upon. Next, by night a Thought I sent Up into the firmament; When the eager stars were out, And the still moon shone about. And my Thought went past the moon, In between the stars, but soon Held her breath anti durst not stir, For the fear that covered her; Then she thought, in this demur: “ Dare I look beneath the shade. Into where the worlds are made ; Where the sun and stars are wrought Shall I meet another Thought P “ Will that other thought have wings ? Shall I meet strange heavenly things ? Thought of Thoughts, and Light of Lights, Breath of Breaths, and Night of Nights ?” Then my Thought began to hark In the illuminated dark. Till the silence over, under, Made her heart beat more than thunder. And my Thought came trembling back, But with something on her track, And with something at her side; Nor till she has lived and died, Lived and died, and lived again. Will that awful thing seem plain. MULE-BIANCA. The mule stood on the steamer’s deck, The land he would not tread ; They pulled the halter round his neck, And cracked him o’er the head. Yet firm and steadfast there he stood, As though formed for to rule ; A critter of heroic blood Was that there cussed mule. They cussed and swore —he would not go, Until he felt inclined ; And though they showered blow on blow, He would not change his mind. The deck hands to the shore then cried, “ This here mule’s bound to stay,” And still upon the critter’s hide, With lash they fired away. His master from the shore replied—--44 The boat’s about to sail, As every other means you’ve tried, Suppose you twist his tail!” “ It’s likely that will make him land,” The deck man, brave though pale, Approached with his outstretched hand To twist that there mule’s tail. There came a sudden kick behind ! The man !—oh ! where was he ? Ask of the softly blowing wind, The fishes in the sea! For a moment there was not a sound, As that mule winked his eye, As though to ask of those around, “ Now how is that for high ?” 44 Cut that there mule’s throat right away,” The captain did command ; But the noblest critter killed that day, Was the fearless, brave deck hand.