and new. 

 The houses of frost are deserted, Their slumber is broken and done, And empty and pale are the portals Awaiting the sun. 

 The bands of Arcturus are slackened; Orion goes forth from his place On the slopes of the night, leading homeward His hound from the chase. 

 The Pleiades weary and follow The dance of the ghostly dawn; The revel of silence is over; Earth's lyric comes on. 

  A golden flute in the cedars, A silver pipe in the swales, And the slow large life of the forest Wells bade and prevails. 

 A breath of the woodland spirit Has blown out the bubble of spring To this tenuous hyaline glory One touch sets a-wing. 

THE WOOD-GOD.

 Brother, lost brother! Thou of mine ancient kin! Thou of the swift will that no ponderings smother! The dumb life in me fumbles out to the shade Thou lurkest in. In vain--evasive ever through the glade Departing footsteps fail; And only where the grasses have been pressed, Or by snapped twigs I follow a fruitless trail. So--give o'er the quest! Sprawl on the roots and moss! Let the lithe garter squirm across my throat! Let the slow clouds and leaves above me float Into mine eyeballs and across,-- Nor think them further! Lo, the marvel! now, Thou whom my soul desireth, even thou Sprawl'st by my side, who fled'st at my pursuit. I hear thy fluting; at my shoulder there I see the sharp ears through the tangled hair, And birds and bunnies at thy music mute. 

A FAUN'S SONG.

 Cool! cool! cool! Cool and sweet The feel of the moss at my feet! And sweet and cool The touch of the wind, of the wind! 

 Cool wind out of the blue, At the touch of you A little wave crinkles and flows All over me down to my toes. 

 "Coo-loo! Coo-loo!" Hear the doves in the tree-tops croon. "Coo-loo! Coo-loo!" Love comes soon. 

 "June! June!" The veery sings, Sings and sings, "June! June!"-- A pretty tune! 

 Wind with your weight of perfume, Bring me the bluebells' bloom! 

QUINCE TO LILAC: To G. H.

 Prev. P 6/36 next