Poetry.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2412, 24 December 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

Poetry.

THE SHADOW OX THL DIAL. Cool winds from out the reddened west, The dews along the dai-cd heath, And wavelet, with its star-like 1-rest Scattering in the evening’s biealh, He,tine, with freshness on their cheek And sadness in the voices near, The raiuward boundaries, where break Thu last full splendors of the year. And yet, the lily blooms erewliile, And brier-rose and violet, And through the long, long day, the sinilo t tf Summer's son is buoyant yet, As dancing on the bailing lake, Or from ale.mbicspanow's breast ft springs in music, to awake Th« notes that in the forest rest, Hut on this green old apple tree. On yender twig from dawn to dark, Each day, a fitful melody Hurst from a solitary lark— A simple strain, that sadde.r grew As neared the morning and Hie night, Till one read sunset through tins dew It winged an nnretiuning flight. And deep within the forest aisles, Where undisturbed the spider weaves His Moating castle, and beguiles The insect from the trembling leaves— A golden petal from the rose, A dry spray on Hie mossy sod, And ripening colors, all disclose The li.it of a marvellous God. A LITTLE LAMII. JJuckloy had a little lamb, Its fleece was black as in k And everywhere that Buckley went 'Phis pit lamb look n drink. Ho lead the litte Innib, one day, Too near the County Jail ; A big, fierce Sheriff darted out, And grappod him by the tail. They dined upon that little lamb, And all his lovely fleece Was woven into undershirts, And wni'n by the police. .Let all the other little lambs I’lease keep away from Jail, Lost, like poor Mr. Morrow, they Bo locked up without bail. THE MADRIDAL. (bio, as I walked in woodlands green, I chanced on Love whore, ho sat alone, Cat ching the moles of the air, and sheen From sun-rays broken and downward thrown. “ What are yon doing, Love ?” quoth I For Love and 1 have been comrades true. And I speak him freely when none ate nigh And ho answers me as he might net yon ! “ f am making a madrigal,'’ ho said : “ I need but a rhyme to close it well; ” And, In! it seemed that a spider’s thread (danced in the light and he caught its spell Wonderful, beautiful, rare and sweet ft lay there, perfect, upon his hand ; It throbbed with a inunnur, soft, complete I could not describe ; I could understand! And how will yon send it, Love ?’ quoth I Ah, how ho smiled ! but he said no word ; But he beckoned me, and I followed, shy, And we came on a L’oet, all unheard There, as lie dreamed, did L ive bestow The little sung on his ear, content ; And so Hod quickly that none might know Where it was written and how it was sent! THE BREAK OE DAY. I stood alone in the evening, The city was hushed and still, But a thousand lights were shining Over the distant bill ; And elm fs, like pb nit-un ships, sailed on (I or the. sky’s bine sea ; the moon was gone. But her light was with us still, i, stood alone at midnight, Tiie city in darkness lay, Xo star could I see from my window, No giimpie of the beautiful bay ; Xo sound but the chicle’s dull tick seemed a part Of the place, and the time, and my own sad heart. Wliat did the silence not say ? I stood alone in the morning, In the glad, free light of the sun, With the flowers’ fresh fragrance around me The bu-y. bright, day just begun. I could sing, I could work, 1 could laugh in the light, For the visions that vexed me had fled with the night, The fear and the gloom and the sorrow and dread, I knew that the night and its darkness was o’er. “ Bast days arc black heads that have slipped evermore Fr im the string of my life.” 1 said.