SELECTED VERSE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20989, 16 December 1939, Page 13 (Supplement)

SELECTED VERSE

DEEP SUMMER Now on the heavy, laboured days of August A crow’s late wing pants home; the broken talk Of katydids clocks the long hours; and cornfields Sigh on the fullness of the burdened stalk, The ripened seed. Now the bare, rock-deep stream-bed Thirsting again, dust weary; and the white. Call of a cloud beyond a hill’s blue moorings, And one gold leaf turned sharply to the night. —Leone Rice Grelle

ODE TO A THRUSH Morn has come, I know it well, For there’s his tinkling golden bell; I let it through my being seep To dissipate my languid sleep; I wait to hear the last note fall, Hear, too, the echoes to his call, Then strains in volume float and pass; It is the birds at early mass. At intervals throughout the day, And whether skies be blue or grey, High in the tree he sings his song, Carrying my petty cares along. When day has vanished with the sun And to their rest the birds have come, You hear him like a joyous sprite Begin the vespas for the night. Of all the birds in wood and dale You truly are our nightingale; Your song like gems in note and beat Fall sparkling, tinkling, nectar sweet. —By Beth.

NATURE’S BIBLE There is a book not written By any human hand, The prophets all have studied, The priests have, always banned. I read it every morning, I ponder it by night, And death shall overtake me Trimming my humble light, New verses to decipher, New chapters to explore, \ While loveliness and wisdom Grew ever more and more. For who could ever tire Of that wide legendry, The folklore of the mountains, The drama of the sea? I pore for days together Over some lost refrain, The epic of the thunder, The lyric of the rain.

LIGHT IN DARKNESS Can you think, O soul disheartened. Life has naught of joy for you; While around you floods the sunshine, * And above God’s cloudless blue? Every bird His praise is singing, Every star by love is swinging, Has He made all things—but you? Can you think, O vanquished spirit, God will never raise you up, While the crushed and trampled daisy Lifts to heaven its golden cup? Nature struggles for the highest, God to deepest need is nighest, You with kings and priests may sup. Can you think, O child of sorrow, Death doth still hold icy thrall, While the dim green earth is waking From its sleep ’neath winter’s thrall? Every leaf’s a Resurrection, Earth is but Heaven’s pale reflection, Love Eternal governs all. —F. L. Green.

LAUGH AWAY CARE Don’t keep looking out for troubles that may bother you “some day,” If you never dread their presence they will never come your way. Don’t look out to the horizon where the clouds are low and black, They’re just shadows of the future, and you only see their back. If the worst be in the future, it has been there all the while, We can keep it there by laughing till the , world begins to smile. Why deplore about the worries that are always far away? If they think you’re waiting for them they’ll be sure to come and stay. When the sun is shining brightly, there must be shadows on the ground. But keep moving in the sunshine, although shadows may be found. Let us thank the. Power above us for the things we do not know, And remember still that laughter is His gift to us below. Let us laugh away those worries that have scared us for a while, Let us laugh away our troubles till the world begins to smile; For the world is what we. make it, keep it bright, and you’ll be right; There may be a dull tomorrow, but it never comes in sight. Don’t get scared about the future, though it look as black as sin; We can always keep on laughing till the others start to grin. —F. Barclay Ritchie.