Love or Fame; and Other Poems Part 10

Would my life were crowned with sunlight, Would my soul was pure as thine!

Then the world no more would know me, Earth were Heaven, and Heaven were mine.

The Lake.

A limpid lake, a diamond gem, The moonbeams kissed with light; And all the stars that heaven knew Were mirrored in the night.

How fair the world, how fair the night, When lake and river run Like jeweled streams of fairy land Beneath a silver sun.

The lake grew proud and claimed each star That lay upon her breast; "Ah! they are mine," she said; "these gems That in my bosom rest.

"And yonder moon, that sails on high, Doth s.h.i.+ne for me alone; Beneath the foam that crests my waves Is built her silver throne."

A star-king knelt and kissed the waves That swept the shadowed sh.o.r.e; "Our moon is queen of heaven," he said, "Is queen forevermore.

A thousand lakes are hers by night, A thousand lakes of light; A thousand rivers kiss her feet, A thousand rivers bright.

"Then be not vain, thou lakelet small, The moon is not for thee; Her home is in the river wide, Her throne is in the sea."

The bright waves swept the silent sh.o.r.e, The star-king crept away; Yet calm and fair, still unconvinced, The lake in silence lay.

The moon, that swept her silvery light Far o'er the waters wide, Belonged to her, and all the stars That floated side by side.

Ah! silver lake, too well we know How like we are to thee; A thousand truths are in the world That we may never see!

Life.

A dewy flower, bathed in crimson light, May touch the soul--a pure and beauteous sight; A golden river flas.h.i.+ng 'neath the sun, May reach the spot where life's dark waters run; Yet, when the sun is gone, the splendor dies, With drooping head the tender flower lies.

And such is life; a golden mist of light, A tangled web that glitters in the sun; When shadows come, the glory takes its flight, The treads are dark and worn, and life is done.

Oh! tears, that chill us like the dews of eve, Why come unbid--why should we ever grieve?

Why is it, though life hath its leaves of gold, The book each day some sorrow must unfold!

What human heart with truth can dare to say No grief is mine--this is a perfect day?

Oh! poet, take your harp of gold and sing, And all the earth with heavenly music fill!

You may do this, yet song can never bring One sunbeam back, let song be what it will.

Oh! painter, you can catch the glowing light That tints the skies before the coming night; With throbbing heart and upward lifted eyes, You paint the splendor of the purple skies; Yet tell me, does your genius hold the key To life's strange secrets and its mystery?

Oh! life is sad, yet suns.h.i.+ne, too, is there; We cannot tell what spell the years may weave-- Perchance a song that dies upon the air-- Perhaps a shadow that the sun doth leave.

A Memory.

Amid my treasures once I found A simple faded flower; A flower with all its beauty fled, The darling of an hour.

With bitterness I gazed awhile, Then flung it from my sight; For with it all came back to me the pain and heedless blight.

But, moved with pity and regret I took it up again; For oh, so long and wearily In darkness it had lain.

Ah, purple pansy, once I kissed Your dewy petals fair; For then, indeed, I had no thought Of earthly pain or care.

Your faded petals now I touch With sacred love and awe; For never will my heart kneel down To earthly will or law.

Your velvet beauty still is dear, Though faded now you seem; You drooped and died, yet still you are The symbol of my dream.

Sweet, modest flower, tinged with gold, A lesson you have said; Your purple glory, like my love, Is faded now, and dead.

The Baby's Tear.

A tiny drop of crystal dew That fell from baby eyes of blue; A s.h.i.+ning treasure, there it lay For grandma's love to wipe away.

A tear of sorrow, pure and meek It graced our darling's dimpled cheek; A gem so fair, that angels smiled And claimed the treasure undefiled.

A sunbeam came with winsome grace And chased the shadow from her face; A smile fell from its wings of light And baby eyes laughed at the sight.

The wee bright tear was kissed away, Yet in our hearts its sorrow lay; For like a shadow came the thought, With pain and sorrow life is wrought.

Oh, baby heart, what will you do When life's unrest is given you; And mother-love no more like this Each tear can banish with a kiss?

The love you brought, oh, baby dear, Is like the sunbeam pa.s.sing near; A ray of light--a touch of gold To keep our hearts from growing old.

Then may thy life grow strong and sweet With mother-love to guide thy feet; And may the sunbeams ever chase Each shadow, darling from thy face.