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FORMAL； quaint； precise； and trim； You begin your steps
demurely There's a spirit almost prim In the feet that move so surely；
So discreetly； to the chime Of the music that so sweetly
Marks the time。
But the chords begin to tinkle Quicker； And
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your feet they flash and flicker Twinkle！ Flash
and flutter to a tricksy Fickle meter； And you foot it
like a pixie Only fleeter！
Now our current； dowdy Things
〃Turkey…trots〃 and rowdy Flings For they
made you overseas In politer times than these； In an age when grace could
please； Ere St。 Vitus Clutched and shook us； spine
and knees； Loosed a plague of jerks to smite us！
Well； our day is far more brisk And our manner rather slacker）； And
you are nothing more than bisque And lacquer
But you shame us with the graces Of courtlier times and places
When the cheap And vulgar wasn't 〃art〃 When the faunal prance and
leap Weren't 〃smart。〃
Have we lost the trick of wedding Grace to
pleasure？ Must we clown it at the bidding Of some tawdry； common
measure？
Can't you school us in the graces Of your pose and dainty paces？
Now the chords begin to tinkle Quicker And your
feet they flash and flicker Twinkle！ And you
mock us as you featly Swing and flutter to the chime Of the music…box
that sweetly Marks the time！
LOWER NEW YORKA STORM
WHITE wing'd below the darkling clouds The driven sea…gulls
wheel； The roused sea flings a storm against The towers of stone and
steel。
The very voice of ocean rings Along the shaken street Dusk；
storm； and beauty whelm the world Where sea and city meet
But what care they for flashing wings； Quick beauty； loud refrain；
These huddled thousands； deaf and blind To all but greed and gain？
AT SUNSET
THE sun…god stooped from out the sky To kiss the flushing sea；
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While all the winds of all the world Made jovial melody； The night
came hurrying up to hide The lovers with her tent； The governed
thunders； rank on rank； Stood mute with wonderment； The pale worn
moon； a jealous shade； Peered from the firmament； The early stars； the
curious stars； Came peering forth to see What mighty nuptials shook
the world With such an ecstasy Whenas the sun…god left the sky To
mingle with the sea。
A CHRISTMAS GIFT
ALACK…A…DAY for poverty！ What jewels my mind
doth give to thee！
Carved agate stone porphyrogene； Green emerald and beryl green；
Deep sapphine and pale amethyst； Sly opal； cloaking with a mist The levin
of its love elate； Shy brides' pearls； flushed and delicate； Sea…colored lapis
lazuli； Sardonyx and chalcedony； Enkindling diamond； candid gold； Red
rubies and red garnets bold： And all their humors should be blent In one
intolerable blaze； Barbaric； fierce； and opulent； To dazzle him that
dared to gaze！
Alack…a…day for poverty： My rhymes are all you get of me！ Yet； if your
heart receive； behold！ The worthless words are set in gold。
SILVIA
I STILL remember how she moved Among the rathe； wild blooms she
loved； （When Spring came tip…toe down the slopes； Atremble 'twixt her
doubts and hopes； Half fearful and all virginal） How Silvia sought this
dell to call Her flowers into full festival； And chid them with this
madrigal：
〃The busy spider hangs the brush With filmy gossamers； The frogs
are croaking in the creek； The sluggish blacksnake stirs； But still the
ground is bare of bloom Beneath the fragrant firs。
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〃Arise； arise； O briar rose； And sleepy violet！ Awake； awake；
anemone； Your wintry dreams forget
For shame； you tardy marigold； Are you not budded yet？
〃The Swallow's back； and claims the eaves That last year were his
home； The Robin follows where the plow Breaks up the crusted loam；
And Red…wings spies the Thrush and pipes： 'Look！ Speckle…breast is
come！'
〃Up； blooms！ and storm the wooded slopes； The lowlands and the
plain Blow； jonquil； blow your golden horn Across the ranks of rain！
To arms！ to arms！ and put to flight The Winter's broken train！〃
She paused beside this selfsame rill； And as she ceased； a daffodil Held
up reproachfully his head And fluttered into speech； and said：
〃Chide not the flowers！ You little know Of all their travail 'neath the
snow；
Their struggling hours Of choking sorrow underground。 Chide
not the flowers！ You little guess of that profound And blind； dumb
agony of ours！ Yet； victor here beside the rill； I greet the light that I
have found； A Daffodil！〃
And when the Daffodil was done A boastful Marigold spake on：
〃Oh； chide the white frost； if you choose； The heavy clod； so hard to
loose； The preying powers Of worm and insect underground。 Chide
not the flowers！ For spite of scathe and cruel wound； Unconquered by
the sunless hours； I rise in regal pride； a bold And golden…hearted；
golden…crowned Marsh Marigold！〃
And when she came no more； her creek Would not believe； but bade us
seek
Hither； yon； and to and fro Everywhere that children go When the
Spring Is on the wing And the winds of April blow 〃I will never think
her dead； 〃She will come again！〃 it said； And then the birds that use the
vale； Broken…hearted； turned the tale Into syllables of song And chirped it
half a summer long：
〃Silvia； Silvia； Be our Song once more； Our vale revisit； Silvia；
And be our Song once more： For joy lies sleeping in the lute； The merry
pipe； the woodland flute； And all the pleading reeds are mute That
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breathed to thee of yore。
〃Silvia； Silvia； Be our Moon again；
Shine on our valley； Silvia； And be our Moon again： The fluffy owl
and nightingale Flit silent through the darkling vale； Or utter only words
of wail From throats all harsh with pain。
〃Silvia； Silvia； Be Springtime； as of old； Come clad in laughter；
Silvia； Our Springtime； as of old： The waiting lowlands and the hills
Are tremulous with daffodils Unblown； until thy footstep thrills Their
promise into gold。〃
And； musing on her here； I too Must wonder if it can be true She died；
as other mortals do。 The thought would fit her more； to feign That； full
of life and unaware That earth holds aught of grief or stain； The fairies
stole and hold her where Death enters not； nor strife nor pain；
That； drowsing on some bed of pansies； By Titania's necromancies Her
senses were to slumber lulled； Deeply sunken； steeped and dulled； And
by wafture of swift pinions She was borne out through earth's portals
To the fairy queen's dominions； To some land of the immortals。
THE EXPLORERS
AND some still cry： 〃What is the use？ The service rendered？
What the gain？ Heroic； yes！but in what cause？ Have they made less
one earth…borne