Puslapio vaizdai
PDF
„ePub“

There is also a word that no one heard
To the furrier's daughter Lou.;
And a pale cheek fed with a flickering red,
And a "Bon Dieu garde M'sieu !”

But a grander way for the Sous-Préfet,
And a bow for Ma'am'selle Anne;

And a mock "off-hat" to the Notary's cat,
And a nod to the Sacristan :-

For ever through life the Curé goes

With a smile on his kind old face

With his coat worn bare, and his straggling hair And his green umbrella-case.

THE MASQUE OF THE MONTHS

(FOR A FRESCO)

FIRSTLY thou, churl son of Janus,

Rough for cold, in drugget clad,

Com'st with rack and rheum to pain us ;Firstly thou, churl son of Janus.

Caverned now is old Sylvanus ;

Numb and chill are maid and lad.

After thee thy dripping brother,

Dank his weeds around him cling; Fogs his footsteps swathe and smother,After thee thy dripping brother. Hearth-set couples hush each other, Listening for the cry of Spring.

Hark! for March thereto doth follow,
Blithe, a herald tabarded;
O'er him flies the shifting swallow,-
Hark! for March thereto doth follow.
Swift his horn, by holt and hollow,
Wakes the flowers in winter dead.

Thou then, April, Iris' daughter,

Born between the storm and sun; Coy as nymph ere Pan hath caught her,

Thou then, April, Iris' daughter.
Now are light, and rustling water;
Now are mirth, and nests begun.

May the jocund cometh after,

Month of all the Loves (and mine); Month of mock and cuckoo-laughter,May the jocund cometh after. Beaks are gay on roof and rafter; Luckless lovers peak and pine.

June the next, with roses scented,
Languid from a slumber-spell;
June in shade of leafage tented ;-
June the next, with roses scented.
Now her Itys, still lamented,
Sings the mournful Philomel.

Hot July thereafter rages,

Dog-star smitten, wild with heat; Fierce as pard the hunter cages,— Hot July thereafter rages.

Traffic now no more engages;

Tongues are still in stall and street.

August next, with cider mellow,

Laughs from out the poppied corn ; Hook at back, a lusty fellow,— August next, with cider mellow. Now in wains the sheafage yellow 'Twixt the hedges slow is borne.

Laden deep with fruity cluster, Then September, ripe and hale; Bees about his basket fluster,— Laden deep with fruity cluster. Skies have now a softer lustre ; Barns resound to flap of flail.

Thou then, too, of woodlands lover, Dusk October, berry-stained; Wailed about of parting plover,— Thou then, too, of woodlands lover. Fading now are copse and cover; Forests now are sere and waned.

Next November, limping, battered,
Blinded in a whirl of leaf,
Worn of want and travel-tattered,—
Next November, limping, battered.
Now the goodly ships are shattered,
Far at sea, on rock and reef.

Last of all the shrunk December
Cowled for age, in ashen gray;
Fading like a fading ember,-
Last of all the shrunk December.
Him regarding, men remember

Life and joy must pass away.

B

TWO SERMONS

OETWEEN the rail of woven brass, That hides the "Strangers' Pew," I hear the gray-haired Vicar pass From Section One to Two.

And somewhere on my left I see-
Whene'er I chance to look-

A soft-eyed, girl St. Cecily,

Who notes them-in a book.

Ah, worthy GoODMAN,-sound divine!
Shall I your wrath incur,

If I admit these thoughts of mine
Will sometimes stray-to her ?

I know your theme, and I revere;
I hear your precepts tried;
Must I confess I also hear

A sermon at my side?

Or how explain this need I feel,-
This impulse prompting me
Within my secret self to kneel

To Faith,-to Purity!

« AnkstesnisTęsti »