Love or Fame; and Other Poems Part 17

They must be gazed upon, Not handled or caressed; And thus we hold afar The things we love the best.

Sunset on the Mississippi.

O beautiful hills in the purple light, That shadow the western sky, I dream of you oft in the silent night, As the golden days go by.

The river that flows at my longing feet Is tinged with a deeper glow; But the song that it sings is as sad to-day As it was in the long ago.

The far-off clouds in the far-off sky Are tinted with gold and red; But the lesson they tell to the hearts of men Is a lesson that never is said.

The star-crowned night in her sable plumes Is veiling the eastern sky, And she trails her robes in the dying fires That far in the west do lie.

A single gem from her circlet old Is lost as she wanders by, And the beautiful star with its golden light s.h.i.+nes out in the lonely sky.

O beautiful star in the misty sky, My soul would take wings with tee; But you sail away in your golden seas With never a thought for me.

O sun-crowned hills in the purple light.

I could sit at your feet forever; But you fade away in the shadowy night And I'll see you again, ah, never.

Dark river that flows at my longing feet, I list to your music low; But the song that you sing brings me thoughts to-night Of the beautiful long ago;

And my soul grows sad as I think of the day-- That radiant day of light-- When the sun went down in a glory of gold 'Neath the pitiless shadows of night.

Farewell, ye hills in the purple light; Farewell to your glory forever; You fade away in the silent night, And I'll see you again, ah, never!

Not Dead, but Sleeping.

[To the memory of Edwin B. Foster, a member of the Howards, who n.o.bly sacrificed his own life for others, and in remembrance of those unknown to fame or friends who have silently followed in the steps of our Saviour.]

The shadow of death is around us all, And life is a sorrowful thing; For the winds sweep by with a mournful sigh, And sad are the tidings they bring.

He is dead--and the strong, brave life that he gave Seemed offered to G.o.d in vain; Yet he died, Christ-like, in a labor of love, 'Mid sorrow and death and pain.

And why should we sorrow--the crown is his And the glory of life is won; Though he died when his labor was just begun, Yet the work of his life is done.

The beautiful South is a land of death, Where the shadows darken the sun; And the moans of the dying are heard in the night When the deeds of the day are done.

The sunlight falls with a dreary gleam On the cities where ruin is spread, And the rain beats down with a mournful sound On the graves of the silent dead.

Yet high in the heavens a Hand is stretched, That treasures the deeds of love; And the lives gone out in the darkness below Are wrapped in the glory above.

The North bends down in her icy pride And kisses the land of the sun; Love joins them both in a flood of tears, And the glory of peace is won.

The hand that was dyed in a brother's blood Now eases that brother's pain; And the hearts that in life were driven apart, In death are united again.

Then why should we sorrow--our G.o.d is love, And lives are not lived in vain; Bright hope still s.h.i.+nes like a star of night In the shadow of death and pain.

A Sunbeam.

The sun was hid all day by clouds, The rain fell softly down; A cold gray mist hung o'er the earth, And veiled the silent town.

Behind the clouds a sunbeam crept With restless wings of gold; The skies above were bright and warm, The earth below was cold.

It glanced along the heavy clouds, Then sought to glide between; But ah! they gathered closer still, With fierce and angry mien.

The dancing ray grew strangely still, Just like some weary bird, That droops upon a lonely sh.o.r.e, And sings its song unheard.

For on the earth the drooping flowers Were longing for the light; And children with their watching eyes Could trace no sunbeam's flight.

At last an angel, wand'ring by, With snowy wings outspread, Beheld the sunbeam sad at heart, And pa.s.sing by she said:

"Why wait you here above the clouds, The earth has need of you; Spread out your wings, speed quickly on And pierce the vapor through."

But still the sunbeam mournfully Gazed on the gloom below; Then looked up in the spirit's face With softened, anxious glow.

The angel smiled, the clouds gave way And drifted far apart; And lo! the glory of that smile Fell on each earthly heart.

Then quickly through the widening rift The sunbeam drifted down; A ray of gold fell through the mist Upon the silent town.

Two weary eyes beheld its light, Then closed forevermore; A soul pa.s.sed through the rift of blue And reached the farther sh.o.r.e.

One moment o'er the wan, white face A ray of glory fell; Then shadows came, the sunbeam fled; Its future who can tell?

Once more the clouds enwrapped the earth, The rain fell softly down; A cold, gray mist hung o'er the hills And veiled the silent town.