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H

I g r at e f u l l y
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h ave p e r m i tte d m e to
Hu m o re s! u e , Seribner :

1 72e Aca d e my

O pt i m i s t , W a t e r- L i l i e s , O u t

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of

w ho

r e p r i n t t he fo l l ow i ng p oe m s
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t he

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ond on ;
!
!

Wes t ; T o a ! i rd

L ip

Mag a z ine ; T he ! r e a m e r, Un cle Remus : Home

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T/ze T/zrus lz ; T o a Mi gr an t ! i rd T/ze rout/1 5 Campa n

i
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p

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an d

T he !

i ff e re nce , The Ca va /zer

A. !

E C. !

H U M O R E SQJ E

T O S O R R OW
T O JO Y
O P TI M IST

To A !

TO A

! I R!

T H E D R EAM E R

WH I T E

M A GI C

TO
!

To

10

M IGRANT

TH E DI F

! IR!

E RE NCE

L O V E S LI M I TATI O N S

I I

12

TO A

V AS E

O F

S Y R I A N G LASS

W AT E R LI LI E S
-

14

ST U A R T

EL EC T

I N S P RI NG
To

TH E

M I N O R P O E TS

TO

M ARI E

CHILDRE N

G H O STS

2 2

TH E WE!

I LL U SI O N

V E NICE

TO

A S U MM E R

AY

A ! S O L U TI O N
TO

P E AC E

L O V E QU E STI O N E D
m

THE

H U MM I NG

I RD

R ESPITE
To

THE

3O

M OO N

32

T H E LITTL E S P R I N G

33

T O SI L E N C E

34

T H E LITTL E L O V E S O N G
-

MO

U! T

E V E R E ST

35

]
! A GE

M EM O RY

O F

T H E ! EA T H O F

ONE
To

! O T RE - ! A M E

SUM M E R

ISS

39

A G RO U P

OF

PI N ES

T O W H ISTL E R A N D H I S
TO A

37

V E RY

O L D LA D Y

40
!

TE!

O C LOC !

T H E A U T U M N R OS E

43

A DREAM

44

E P H EM E RA

45

SO !

ET S C

G
!

T
U
A
R
A
I!
Q

H U MO RESCLUE

W O roses red an d

grew S i de by s ide
Lo v e kissed them from the o n e the colour d ied ;
The other fl amed i nto a scarlet hue :
Together W hite and red t wo roses grew
,

W hite ,

TO

S O RR O W

O R R O W , O S orrow ,

thou hast lai n so long

C lose to my soul that still its listening ear
Attuned to mourn ful music waits thy so ng
O FF in the dim grey distan ce fa i nt yet clear
It rises though this little alien thing
C alled Jo y which crept O f late i nto my arms
Tries bravely with each rose wreathed o fl e rin g
To dissipate thy melancho l y C harm s
But S orrow thou hast trai ned me in thy ways
SO long I cann ot follow a new road ,
These eyes thou hast acc ustomed to grey days
This bac k to stooping from its constan t load
,

N ay ,
TOO

Jo y I ca nnot lay my han d in th ine

swi ft thy dance for these slow S teps of m ine
,

TO

JO

L T HO U G H

your S p irit sparkles like the wine

C elestial you are earth born Jo y by C hoice
A nd your ideals only hal f div ine
F o r with the guileless eyes an d s ilver voice
You ha v e the tricks o f fairies an d a tongue
That works for mischief when it n ds the chance
Y o u Whisper to a boy S ince he is you ng
O f what avai l is ti me o r circ umstance !
You gi v e a merry twist to solem n things
M aking o f life and l ove o n e holiday :
A nd for the dan ce you len d our feet your W i ngs
That they may not grow weary i n the play
-

You re j ust a l i tt l e worldli ng Jo y it seem s

But wh o l ike you can gi v e such happy dream s !

TO

O!

TI M I S T

H Y l i fe

like some fair su nset ever seems ;

E ach dull grey c l oud thy subtle alchemy
Tran smutes i nto a jewel whose bright beam s
Gladden the eyes o f all who l ook o n thee
,

T O A ! I RD

F O UN D you

fa l le n from your nest one day

W ith little frightened eyes and wou nded wing ;
I healed the hurt an d coa ! ed the fear away
An d then you bra v ely tried to ch i rp a n d sing
I bought a cage to keep y o u for a pet :
SO little o f the wood l a nd y o u had known
I felt assured you would i n time forget
An d be content t o stay with m e alone
But whe n the summer came a l onging grew
T O fly far far y o u even told me s o
I n your mute way with eyes ! ed o n the blue
I understood the w i sh a nd let y o u go
,

Ah little B ird l i fe s cage S ti l l holds me fast

But a ki nd han d wil l free me t o o at l ast !

D RE A M ER

T HE

D R EA M E R

ever in the vale of dream s

! oor was h e called so poor a nd wholly mad :
They j udged him by th e garment s rusty seams
With which the be nt an d shrunken frame was clad
And every evening as the su n sank l ow
O uts ide the busy town where earth met sky
N ear where a stream meandered soft an d slow
That same S trange form would wander slowly by
,

An d ah the m usic heard by those keen ears

The wondrous p itu re s seen by those deep eyes !
N o S ave not for him your tears
A pauper !
The clouds and streams to him their gi fts devise
And he is heir each night to wealth u ntold
The dying su n bequeaths him all his gold
,

WH I T E
MIL!

MA G I C

W H IT E O pal lay with i n my palm

W ithin my breast a heart lay C ool an d calm ;
s unbeam an d the sto ne was shot with ame
While the d ull heart e n ki n dled at a name
-

TO
L O ! E you

as few wome n ha v e loved men ;

This I believe an d s o it s true to me :
And you i you gi v e me O f my o w n again
! O more I ask for all etern ity
But should you ever take your heart from m ine
I S hall not tell you D ear this l ove would die
Lest you m ight thin k a tiny spark div ine
S urvi v ing would the embers v i v ify
A hopeles s folding of the hands in stead
! O cry n o bless ed weep ing t o contro l
Si l ence most absolute than death more dead
A vo i d a n utter l one l ines s O f soul

God from such a fate in mute appealing

Behold me humbly at Thy footstool kneeling !
,

T O A M I G R A N T ! I RD
OW

bra v e l y dost thou wing thy ight O Bird

O ver the desert an d the l onely sea !
What is the distan t call that thou hast heard
Which w i th a faith sublime in s p ire th thee !
! o t for a m ome n t dost thou seem t o pause
O r won der why the word t o thee has come ;
! o t f o r a m oment askest thou the cause
Thin e eyes look forward an d thy voice i s dumb
,

Woul d that my soul O G o d i n Thy great m ight

L i ke that frail b i rd could p ut such p e rf e t trust ;
8 0 when the time S hall come f o r its long ight
I nto the worlds u nknown as gladly m ust
Its wings spread forth i n the same con fiden ce
! nowing i t is Thy v oice that ca ll s it hence
,

D I F F EREN CE
the vitim s O f a fate u nkind
O ne cursed his God and then succumbed to wrong ;
O ne turned t o heaven his eyes with gr i ef ha l f blind
An d from his sorrows made a deathless song
LI !

L O ! E S LI M I T A T I O NS

HO

would deny thee mirac l es O Love !

It is thy magic that awakes the soul
T O ecstasy li fting it high above
E arth s sorrow ; o r i n briefest S pace the whole
O f hu man woe re v eals What c rim e s w h at deeds
H eroic have been done at j ust thy word !
F o r thou dost so outrival colder c reeds
That all hearts fo ll ow where thy v oice is heard
,

We grant thee Love this p ower to curse o r b l ess :

But duty from thy thral l can still free men
An d never has th i ne utmost tenderness
M ade cripples walk nor blin d eyes see again
The l i ght grows dim with which thy feet are shod
Whe n thou wouldst claim supremacy with G o d
,

T O A ! A SE O F

S YR IA N

G LA SS

HOUGH

delicate and fragile as so m e ower

O f that far S yrian l and from whence y o u cam e
Your beauty still remai ns a priceless dower
O little E astern ! ase with soul O f ame !
O ld as the years go yet forever young
The way ward spirit in you laughs an d p l ays
N ow here n o w there with dartling lights among
The markings and the crusts o f ancient days
I nebriate with colour d o you seem
As though the n e tar once poured forth f o r you
Was brewed from crimson o f the clouds which gleam
I n even ing s kies ; an d from the ocean s blue
S hading t o green a nd purp l e with a glow
L i ke amber shin i ng from the depths below
.

WA T E R

LI LI ES

lake was a l l a l i ve and glistering

W i th water lilie s T O my quest i oning
rom whence they came thus spake a l ily white :
We are the stars the l ake l ured down last night
HE

F
!

IN

S PRI NG

this most perfe t morni ng o f the spri n g

Tell me my he art w he re Love s dear feet shall stray
That I may haste to meet him o n the way
W i th j oy ful looks an d with an o He rin g
That shal l seem tting for my l ord and ki n g
I f I sha l l n d him where t he waters play
About the m ighty rocks their rainbow spray
H e ll thin k less lovely than these dream s I bri n g :
A nd if I meet him in the meadows where
Are yellow cowslips gleam ing in th e sun
I know that he will say her golden hair
O utshines them i n its glory e very o n e
A nd on her cheeks my roses bloo m S O fair
That those up on the hedgerows are outdone !
,

T O T HE M I N O R !

OETS

HE

sky would be l ess lovely i f swep t clear

O f star dri ft an d each planet moon an d su n
E nmeshed therei n n o fairer wou l d a ppear
Without the web those starry motes have spu n
The lesser beauties claim likewise the i r debt ;
Who loves the ocean best w i ll m i ss the S tream ;
H ills would seem bare without the s mall bl uet
A l though the rose s reign is all supreme
And so ye ! oets O f the m i nor lays
S ing o n a nd C harm us with your harmony :
Those who the n ightingale s pure music praise
C a n yet enj oy a thrush s melody
They look f o r n o wide range b u t ask o f you
Those notes i n midd l e o ta ve s sha l l ring true
-

TO MARI E

L W AYS I

STUA RT

thin k o f y o u i n sun ny F ran ce

Where y o u were both the queen an d happy child
T O O sad the memory o f that cruel C hance
Which grafted y o u a rose on thist l es wild !
,

CH I L D REN

EL E C T

T needeth but a flower s touch t o thrill

S ome s ouls t o an e ! quisite sen se o f thi ngs
A shi n i ng path at j ust a rose s will
O pe n s be fore them its meanderings
T o their awakened fancy n ow revealed
! erchance there comes a star to guide them through
O r thrush s note like S il v er f ou nt u nsea l ed
O r else across their step s from o u t the b l ue
A su nbeam darts to S how the fairest way
E ver that fancy nds some height to climb
Where all around i s darkness an d decay
C hildre n Ele t they are an d for al l time :
A rose a S tar a shel l that holds the sea
Unlocks f o r them s ub l imest mystery

YO U

SH O U L D

! O T

OU

WO ND ER D E A R
,

should n o t wonder D ear my l ips are mute :

T O l earn a strange new l anguage must take time
Whe n rst these ngers played upon Love s l ute
N either my soul n o r v oice were i n the rhyme
An d then the tu nes were always merry a i rs !
Lo v e i n the guise o f rose wreathed ! o y and pleasure
A n d all u nlike this mus ic which declares
D eep passion throbbing through its S imp l est measure
But n o w the lip s that have been dumb s o long
S truggle with words that are both brave an d new
Trembling i n all the ecstasy o f song
T o fee l the theme has been i nsp ired by y o u
SO whe n the words come haltingly an d slow
This swee t est reason for it y o u will kn ow
,

HER O WO RSH I P
HE

morta l combat twi ! t our souls

done :
You were the v i tor I the vanqu i shed o n e
But never D arling were you more adored
Than when you cal mly broke i n t wo my sword !

G H O S TS
ND

is there nothi ng that will lay them lo w

These baleful ghosts that hau nt a tired brain !
Backward and forward with the ebb an d o w
O f memories that gather i n their train
S traight to the very soul o f things they glide :
SO tenuous they are so light their tread
That they can slip into a dream and hide
W ithout so much as snapp ing its fi ne thread
They tell me Love has power more potent still ;
H is eyes are of the brightness of the day
And those o n whom they rest shall fear no ill
Their glory keeps all evil things away
,

Love I p ray thee for thy gracious aid

When the ghosts walk and hearts are sore a fraid !
,

T HE

WE!

it were my sweet fate to sp in for her

Life s web from its begin ning to its close
I would take pattern from the gossamer
I saw this morn ing stretched acros s a rose
An d as the rose s colours i ntervene
There where the s pider S pin s the web most dense
Through all li fe s shadows owers would be seen
R e v ealing still their gen tle i n uen ce
And tears I d weave so they might catch the s u n
A nd be trans formed t o j ewels rare an d ne
Just as a cloud her fairy work has done
I n S prin kling o n the web rain drops that shin e
W ith all the wealth o f hea v en s love l y blue
S hading from pale to deepest sapphire h ue

I LL U S I O N

T H O U G H T some fairies danci ng I had found

All gowned in white with slippers made o f glass :
But they were s nowdrop s hidi ng i n the grass
While little hailsto nes twinkled o n the ground !
,

D RIN !

EN I CE

in

with the soft ! enetian air

The mystery an d si l ence o f the years ;
The lapping o f the water breathes o f tears
O f al l perv ading sadness and despair
A n alien art thou ! en ice strange a nd fair :
Bou n d t o the past with al l its hopes an d fears
A n an cient l o v e an d hate my spirit hears
! ibrating through thy so ngs and music rare
,

A n d n o w there sou nds the go n dol ier s weird cry ;

M y boat slip s rou nd the corners dark an d gr i m
O f some O ld palace an d the ghosts it by
S tepp ing so light l y from those chambers dim :
! ale lovely ghosts whose hair o f ruddy gold
S h i nes through the gloom u ntarn ished as O f O ld

TO A

S U M M ER

OW

! AY

mu ch I owe thee bon ny summer D ay

all thy bird
songs and thy glinting streams
A nd perfume sweet of o we rs l Ah the dreams
Thou w a f te s t to me on thy z ep hyrs gay
W hile tricks among the leaves thy su nbeam s play !
Like unto fairyland my whole world seems
With that b l ue sky and clou ds W hose whiteness gleams
M ore fair than s ilver in the s un s bright ray
W ilt thou too die an early death n o l ess
Than other l o v ely things that God has m ade
A nd given me to com fort and to bless !
N ay bonny summer D ay be not a fraid ;
M y soul absorbing all thy lo v eliness
M akes thee imm ortal ; thus my debt is paid
,

A!

S O LU TI O N

TU R B I D soul an d stranger to n o crime

H e paused beside a pool al l foul w i th slime :
M y prototype
he grimly said when 10
The moo n s white glory o n the p on d below !
,

T O P E A CE

T H I N ! o f thee as some fa i r girl i n grey

Thine eyelids neither closed n o r open wide
And with thy han ds hung loosely by thy side
As though amid the S hades o f C l osing day
They f o r a m ome nt rested from the p l ay
O f m inor chords that j ust this moment died
I saw once on the lips o f a yo ung bride
That s mile which ever with thee seems t o stay
E ven the o w rs look restful thou dost wear ;
The p urple S leepy O rch i ds with their leaves
D own drooped ; an d the pale s l ender vine that weaves
Its ten drils so ftly through thy dusky hair
Thou s e e m e s t O f the world w ithout its care
Which that great gentleness o f thine retrieves
,

LO !
A S!

E QU ES T I O NED

you Love what you have done to me !

I scarce bel ieved you could thus tightly bind
A huma n heart S O restless an d s o free
W ith chai ns whose l inks are roses ; but I n d
Yo u lead me i n the paths o f you r own choice :
Whether it be through su n or shadow lan d
! erforce I follow when I hear your voice
C ontented j ust t o feel your gu iding hand
Ah Love dear Lo ve fore v er ho l d me fast !
O nce cherished j oys seem n o w such pa l try thi ngs
They are wel l nigh forgotten i n that past
Which n o sweet m e m ry o f your presence brings
,

I ask y o u Lo v e what y o u ha v e do ne to me
Is she a S la v e wh o once was glad and free !
,

T HE

HUM MI NG

! I RD

LA S H E S o f ruby sapphire gree n and gold

Like ames about a white rose so ft ly p l ay ;
merging o f the colours a nd behold !
A tiny bird that swi ftly darts away
,

RES PI T E
ES,

Li fe I know you for a sombre thing

A nd cruel to the ones wh o love y o u best
But here withi n these woods where thrushes sing
! erhaps the fear O f you will s in k to rest

This s un shine doth in f e t the v ery blood

U ntil thy terror seems a thing apart
A nd o ne s whole n ature like a wild rose bud
O pens t o careless ! o y a willi ng heart
Thy grim grey S hapes fade slowly from my s ight
While yo nder brook laughs i n that merry way ;
What matters it they w ill return at night
SO I am drugged w i th beauty for to day l
Ah the sweet woodland m usic an d the dream
Born of the su nshine an d a sil v er stream !
,

T O T HE M O O !
M O ON,

I pray thee look from H eaven an d bless

Thy worshipper here i n the v ale below
W ho stands enraptured by the lovelin ess
That with such mystic light doth burn a nd glow l
There is a mythos O ld declares thee bride
Unto the su n D id he choose night for thee
Thin king that thus thy beauty he might hide
Lest other eyes should ga z e t o o ardently !
But 10 ! thou art a goddess an d a queen
And stars a nd mortals holdest s ubj ugate
This world s ambitio ns fade when thou art seen
An d waiting here as at a tem ple s gate
T o be thy priestess I would fai n aspire
An d tend upon thy altar the white re
,

T HE LI TT L E

S PRIN G

G R E E N E R verdure i n the forest glade

A wondrous shin ing there amid the shade ;
dim p l ing o f the waters l aughter sweet
As fairy music rip p l ing at my feet
,

TO

S I L EN CE

A! E

we n o sacred spot to o ff er thee !

M an s restless thoughts d isturb thy spirit m ild
D own loneliest dells the winds s o b mourn fully
The sea at best is restless as a child
S weet S ilen ce ! thou belongest not to earth
With al l its di n a nd garish light of day
Amongst the silver S tars thou hadst thy birth
Which noiselessly pursue their onward way
Yet here thou hidest sometimes as the friend
O f Love and D eath ; I felt thee very near
When Lo ve unto my heart the word did sen d
That i n the sight o f o n e I was held dear
An d thy wi ngs fold above a n ew grave s sod
That o e r thy hush may rise the voice O f G o d

35

T HE LI TT L E L O !

E SONG

S o ng that i s al l ;
M j ust a l itt l e Lo v e
An d yet when some o n e sings me worthily
The tears well up i n alie n eyes an d fall
While hearts beat fast an d all because o f me
I am a little ghost a nd hau nt the brain
O f youth with hope o f age w i th memories :
The wor l d forgotten is wh i le my refrain
Transports them t o E lys i an F ie l ds an d seas
F orever li ghted by a l o v er s moon ;
Where all the air breathes rose an d eglant i ne
An d music o e rs me her sweetest boon
T o len d enchantment t o these words o f m ine

'

I m j ust a l itt l e Love S ong simp l e sweet

B ut 10 ! the proudest hearts are at my feet
-

,
.

M O UNT

E ! ERES T

HE

heavens save for thee their W hitest snow

Thee whom the clouds forfe nd from a l l earth s pain
A nd rou nd whose crests u nsullied bree z es blow ;
! erhap s they know thou lt keep it free from stain

A M E M O RY O F !

O T RE D A M E

HOUGH

far away fro m those grey walls h o w

I turn i n memory from the noo ntide glare
T o l ose myse l f amid their shadows so ft
A nd for a S pace breathe in that qu i et air
Wh i ch incense sweet a nd holy thoughts control
Through the rose wi ndow warm caressi ng lights
Agai n fall gently sooth ing my tired soul
I nto such peacefulness that troubled nights
S lip from me like the vesture o f my dreams
Then from a prayer my soul breaks forth t o song
Which grows i n strength and fu l ness as the gleams
F rom the rose window grow more so ft an d long :
An d this the hym n o f than kfulnes s it sings
W hat though the feet be chai ned it hath i ts wings !
,

o ft

T HE

38

DE A T H

S U M M ER

O F

MI D

the fading S plendour o f her bowers

The summer lingers weary unto death ;
F rom her pale hands slip o n e by one the owers
The S tars are misty with her pass ing breath
H er faithles s birds have i n a night departed
They cared but f o r the beauty that is gone
O nly the streams and rivers loyal hearted
S tay by her side an d still S ing bravely on
A requiem the wind is softly sighing
A nd where the lightning gli mmers in the West
It seemeth like the soul of summer dying
Which qu ivers faint l y ere it leaves her breast
,

,
,

Ah S u mmer ! soon we 11 lay thee w i th thy roses

W here e v ery fair an d lo v ely dream reposes

! I SS

NE

kiss y o u gave m e ere your soul had ed

O ne kiss which through the endless n ight en dures
Ho w can I place you with the peaceful dead
The while I thri l l to that caress o f yours !
,

40

TO A GR O U P O F

HE

PI NES

frail an d blue veined ngers o f the dawn

So lightly touch yo u that the silver dew
S till sparkles u ndisturbed Like roses wan
ust
tinted
with
the
tender
su
nrise
hue
J
H er C lou ds oat down to crown your crests which see m
As soft as feathers blown from fairy land
I n this mild gentle light still fraught with dream
Lusty an d strong in the noon s glare y ou stand
C utting so S harp an d clean the sapphire sky :
Your top s look now like spear heads ung as gage
By mighty giants of the days go ne by
N ight comes a nd lo l the peaceful ness O f age
Upo n you falls : patient ye are and still
Though restless stars play through your leaves at will
-

W H I S T L ER

TO

A ND

HI S

T EN O

CLO C!

I S thou great M aster wh o hast made us see

Abo ve all e l se the beauty o f the night
H er shadows soft her subt l e harmo ny
O f blue an d green an d purple whence the light
O f garish day has ed T is thy sure touch
C o n vi Is us o f the time we waste i n dream s
When n i ght spi ns her long fairy tale o f such
R are l ove l i ness that it a worl d redeem s
E ach warehouse then becomes a pa l ace fair
Tall chim neys i nto campa n i l i turn
The very C ity seems to hang in air
The w h ile its lights like those i n heaven burn
,

Great M aster n ight s dear arms d o n o w en fold thee

And o h the secrets new she may have told thee !

TO A !
OUR

ER Y

O L D LA D Y

face is like a white rose a nd your curls

Gleam now with silver lights i n stead o f gold :
The years j ust match your rare o ld lace and pear l s :
Yo u are s o lovely si nce y o u ha v e grown o ld !
,

TH E A U T U M N

ROS E

G H O S TLY v i sitant pa l e Autu m n R ose

H aunting my garden that y o u o nce loved well :
Ah ho w y o u queened i t ere the sweet June s close
A nd blushed anew to hear the z ephyrs tell
Your l oveliness was fairer than a dream !
But n o w your pr i de o f beauty i s all gone
A nd l ike some poor sad penite nt y o u seem
Whose drooping head but hides a v isage wan
A nd wasted by the coldness of the wor l d
U pon your faint sweet breath i s borne a s i gh
Within your petals l ies a tear i mpearled ;
I hear you t o my garden say good bye
,

A sudden win d the pa l e rose petals b l ow

H i ther and y o n o r are they akes o f snow !
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44

D RE A M

D REA M E D

a dream o f roses somewhere breathing

The i r sweet souls out upo n the summer night :
The owers I saw n o t but their fragrance wreathing
Like clouds o f in cen se lled me with delight
An d then as i f for my still further pleasure
There came a ood o f sweetest melody
But whence I knew not owed the won drous m easure
F o r neither ute n o r Viol could I see
Then in the v i s i o n l ove s ublime im mortal
E n circled al l my sou l w i th i ts pure stream ;
A nd though I saw thee n o t through dreamland s porta l
I knew thou only hadst i nspired the dream
T is thus thi ne i n uence itself d iscloses
I n dream s o f lo v e o f m usic an d o f roses !
,

E P HE M ER A
TI N Y creatures with the shin ing wings
R ej oice your life en dures but f o r an hour !
F o r thus w i th you are named the lo v eliest thi ngs
The sunset S! y the s nowake and the ower
,