From rose to red the level heaven burned; Then sudden, as if a sword fell from on high, A blade of gold flashed on the horizon's rim. THE SOWER. I. A SOWER went forth to sow, Thus did that Sower sow; II. When next I went that way. 329 The song of a sweet-voiced bird? Were sad of memory: And a golden harvest glowed! On my face I fell down there; I said: O God, thou art wise! WILLIAM BELL SCOTT. THE DANCE. (From "THE WITCH'S BALLAD.") O, I HAE come from far away, From a warm land far away, And I hae been to yon town, To try my luck in yon town: Nort, and Mysie, Elspie too, Right braw we were to pass the gate Wi' gowden clasps on girdles blue. Mysie smiled wi' miming mouth, Innocent mouth, miming mouth; Elspie wore her scarlet gown, Nort's gray eyes were unco' gleg, My Castile comb was like a crown. We walked abreast all up the street, Into the market up the street: Our hair wi' marygolds was wound, Our bodices wi' love-knots laced, Our merchandise wi' tansy bound. Nort had chickens, I had cocks, Gamesome cocks, loud-crowing cocks; Mysie ducks, and Elspie drakes. For a wee groat or a pound, We lost nae time wi' gives and takes. Lost nae time, for weel we knew, In our sleeves fu' weel we knew, When our chaffering a' was done, The market lasses looked and laughed, same. Sae loud the tongues o' raudies grew, Was thrust out ilka hand and face. And down each stair they thronged anon; Gentle, simple, thronged anon; Souter and tailor, frowzy Nan, The ancient widow young again Simpering behind her fan. Without choice, against their will, Doited, dazed against their will, The market lassie and her mither, The farmer and his husbandman, Hand in hand danced a' thegether. Slow at first, but faster soon, Still increasin' wild and fast, Hoods and mantles, hats and hose, Blindly doffed, and frae them cast, Left them naked, heads and toes. They would hae torn us limb frae limb, There was Jeff the provost's son, All goodly men we singled out, And drew them by the left hand in, — Then wi' cantrip kisses seven, Three times round wi' kisses seven, Like the wind that sucks the sea, Over and in and on the sea, Laughed while they had sense or breath; Drawn up was I right off my feet, Into the mist and off my feet; We'll gang ance mair to yon town, For I was born a crowned king's child, Elspie's gowden husbandman; JOSEPH BRENNAN. COME TO ME, DEAREST. COME to me, dearest, I'm lonely without thee, Day-time and night-time, I'm thinking about thee; Night-time and day-time, in dreams II would not die without you at my side, behold thee; Unwelcome the waking which ceases to fold thee. Come to me, darling, my sorrows to lighten, Come in thy beauty to bless and to brighten; Come in thy womanhood, meekly and lowly, Come in thy lovingness, queenly and holy. Swallows will fit round the desolate ruin, Telling of spring and its joyous renewing And thoughts of thy love, and its manifold treasure, Are circling my heart with a promise of pleasure. O Spring of my spirit, O May of my bosom, Shine out on my soul, till it bourgeon and blossom; The waste of my life has a rose-root within it. love, Himself a model for all living men: Now when the years of mourning with their rites Were at an end, Confucius came forth And wandered as of old with other men, Giving his counsel unto many kings; But still the hand of grief was on his heart, And his dark hue set forth his darkened hours. To drive away these sorrows from his soul, Nor rested till he stood before the man. Thus spoke Siang unto Confucius: Thou who hast studied deeply the KouaThe eight great symbols of created things Knowest the sacred power of the line Which when unbroken flies to all the worlds As light unending, but in broken forms Falls short as sky and earth, clouds, winds, and fire, The deep blue ocean and the mountain high, And the red lightning hissing in the wave. The mighty law which formed what thou canst see, As clearly lives in all that thou canst hear, And more than this, in all that thou canst feel. Here, take thy lute in hand. I teach the air Made by the sage Wen Wang of ancient days." Confucius took the lute and played the air Till all his soul seemed passing into song; Then he fell deep into the solemn chords As though his body and the lute were CHARLES G. LELAND. 333 And when Siang would teach him more, | That which I never yet myself beheld, Though I have played the sacred song for years, he said: "Not yet, my master, I would seize the thought, Unto Siang thus spoke Confucius: "I do begin to see, yet what I see Is very dim. I am as one who looks And nothing sees except a luminous cloud: Give me but five more days, and at the end If I have not attained the great idea I will leave music as beyond my power." And on the fifteenth day Confucius rose And stood before Siang, and cried aloud: "The mist which shadowed me is blown away, I am as one who stands upon a cliff When he composed that air. I speak to him, I hear him clearly answer me again; His features long, and large sweet eyes which beam With great benevolence, -a noble face! Then good Siang lay down upon the dust, And said: "Thou art my master. Even thus The ancient legend, known to none but me, Describes our first great sire. And thou hast seen Striving with all my soul to penetrate Its mystery unto the master's form,, Whilst thou hast reached it at a single bound: Henceforth the gods alone can teach thee tune." MINE OWN. AND O, the longing, burning eyes! And O, the step, half dreamt, half heard! O, art thou Sylph, -or truly Self, — "O, some do call me Laughter, love; "And some do call me Wantonness, And some do call me Play" :"O, they might call thee what they would If thou wert mine alway!" "And some do call me Sorrow, love, And some do call me Tears, And some there be who name me Hope, And some that name me Fears. |