Making Poetry
Making Poetry Little one, what are you doing,Sitting on the window-seat?Laughing to yourself, and wirting,Some right merry thought inditing,Balancing with swinging feet. T is some poetry I’m making,Though I never tried before:Four whole lines! I’ll read them to you.Do you think them funny, do you?Shall I try to make some more? I should like to […]
Compensation
Compensation Oh, the compensating springs! Oh, the balance-wheels of life,Hidden away in the workings under the seeming strife! Oh, the compensating springs! Oh, the balance-wheels of life,Hidden away in the workings under the seeming strife!Slowing the fret and the friction, weighting the whirl and the force,Evolving the truest power from each unconscious source. How shall […]
The Seeing Heart*
The Seeing Heart* Sweet, blind singer over the sea,Tuneful and jubilant: how can it be, Sweet, blind singer over the sea,Tuneful and jubilant: how can it be,That the songs of gladness, which float so far,As if they fell from the evening star,Are the notes of one who may never see“Visible music” of flower and tree,Purple […]
A Birthday-Greeting To My Father
A Birthday-Greeting To My Father ‘Tis fully known to ONE, by us yet dimly seen,The blessing thou HAST BEEN; ‘Tis fully known to ONE, by us yet dimly seen,The blessing thou HAST BEEN;Yet speaks the silent love of many a mourning heartThe blessing that thou ART;While traced on coming years, in faith and hope we […]
Faith and Reason
Faith and Reason Reason unstrings the harp to seeWherein the music dwells; Reason unstrings the harp to seeWherein the music dwells;Faith pours a Hallelujah song,And heavenly rapture swells.While Reason strives to count the dropsThat lave our narrow strand,Faith launches o’er the mighty deep,To seek a better land. One is the foot that slowly treadsWhere darkling […]
My Name*
My Name From childish days I never heardMy own baptismal name; From childish days I never heardMy own baptismal name;Too small, too slight, too full of gleeAught else but “little Fan” to be,The stately “Frances” not in meCould any fitness claim. Now, in the crowded halls of life,May it be mine to bringSome gentle stir […]
Our Gem Wreath
Our Gem Wreath Heard ye the sounds of joyous gleeAnd the notes of merry minstrelsy, Heard ye the sounds of joyous gleeAnd the notes of merry minstrelsy,And the purling of low, sweet words which startFrom the silent depths of a loving heart; And the gushing laugh, and the rippling song,As the summer days sped swift […]
New Year’s Wishes
New Year’s Wishes A pearl-strewn pathway of untold gladness,Flecked by no gloom, by no weary sadness, A pearl-strewn pathway of untold gladness,Flecked by no gloom, by no weary sadness,Such be the year to thee!A crystal rivulet, sunlight flinging,Awakening blossoms, and joyously singingIts own calm melody. A symphony soft, and sweet, and low,Like the gentlest music […]
Traveling Thoughts
Traveling Thoughts A still gray haze around us,Behind, a foreign shore, A still gray haze around us,Behind, a foreign shore,A still gray deep beneath us,And Dover cliffs before.Not one within a hundred milesWhose name I ever heard,None who would care to speak to meA passing friendly word:Yet not a shadow crosseth meOf loneliness or fear;I […]
How Should They Know Me?
How Should They Know Me? There are those who deem they know me well,And smile as I tell them “nay!” There are those who deem they know me well,And smile as I tell them “nay!”Who think they may clearly and carelessly tellEach living drop in my heart’s deep well,And lightly enter its inmost cell;But little […]