Helen of Troy and Other Poems Part 11

And Mary held the little child And sat upon the ground; She looked up, she looked down, She looked all around.

The angels sang thro' all the night Until the rising sun, But little Jesus fell asleep Before the song was done.

The Faery Forest

The faery forest glimmered Beneath an ivory moon, The silver gra.s.ses s.h.i.+mmered Against a faery tune.

Beneath the silken silence The crystal branches slept, And dreaming thro' the dew-fall The cold white blossoms wept.

A Fantasy

Her voice is like clear water That drips upon a stone In forests far and silent Where Quiet plays alone.

Her thoughts are like the lotus Abloom by sacred streams Beneath the temple arches Where Quiet sits and dreams.

Her kisses are the roses That glow while dusk is deep In Persian garden closes Where Quiet falls asleep.

A Minuet of Mozart's

Across the dimly lighted room The violin drew wefts of sound, Airily they wove and wound And glimmered gold against the gloom.

I watched the music turn to light, But at the pausing of the bow, The web was broken and the glow Was drowned within the wave of night.

Twilight

Dreamily over the roofs The cold spring rain is falling, Out in the lonely tree A bird is calling, calling.

Slowly over the earth The wings of night are falling; My heart like the bird in the tree Is calling, calling, calling.

The Prayer

My answered prayer came up to me, And in the silence thus spake he: "O you who prayed for me to come, Your greeting is but cold and dumb."

My heart made answer: "You are fair, But I have prayed too long to care.

Why came you not when all was new, And I had died for joy of you."

Two Songs for a Child

I Grandfather's Love

They said he sent his love to me, They wouldn't put it in my hand, And when I asked them where it was They said I couldn't understand.

I thought they must have hidden it, I hunted for it all the day, And when I told them so at night They smiled and turned their heads away.

They say that love is something kind, That I can never see or touch.

I wish he'd sent me something else, I like his cough-drops twice as much.

II The Kind Moon

I think the moon is very kind To take such trouble just for me.

He came along with me from home To keep me company.

He went as fast as I could run; I wonder how he crossed the sky?

I'm sure he hasn't legs and feet Or any wings to fly.

Yet here he is above their roof; Perhaps he thinks it isn't right For me to go so far alone, Tho' mother said I might.

On the Tower

Under the leaf of many a Fable lies the Truth for those who look for it.

Jami.

On the Tower

(A play in one act.)