The ra i ns have ceased $

Softly the breezes blow,

Bringi ng the breath of v i olets $The wi ld honey $ suckle blooms,And the peach buds swe l lAlong the forest path

Where we have wa lked together$$ leasant i s the song of b i rds ,And al l the gent l e soundsWh i ch nature makesTo waken up the earth $

I know i t i s the same to other eyesThe sweet renewal of the mi racle of l i fe $

On other ea rs the me lody of SpringFa l l s wi th no note of sadness $But for me the beauty of the world i s ve i l ed $

The murmurs of the Spri ng come sadly to myLonging for the mus i c of thy voi ce $

The honey $ suckl es droop the i r heads,The v i olets yi el d the i r i ncense up l e ss gladly,And there ’ s a shadow on the s$n, to $ day,Because I walk a lone$

0 Love , wa lk ing i n green pa stures ,Where st i l l waters flow through banks of a sphode l $I would not have you less than b lessed $But the $uest i on i ng thought wi l l cl i ng ,I f somet imes you l i sten for my comi ng feet $Wi l l my voi ce make sweete r to your earThe heavenly harmony and the angel s ’ song$You walk ce lest i a l paths wi th knowledge1 wi th fa lte ri ng fa i th the ways of ea rth $And I wou ld fee l your love yea rn ea rthward

,

To strengthen when the t ime seems long $

The wide, wide ocean and an hundred sa i l s $The land , wi ld rose th i ckets and a breath of p ine $God ’ s Sp i ri t rest i ng on the waters,The Infini te Thought thri l l i ng through the ea rth $In human hearts a sense of joy ,A prayer of thankfulness,A song of the fulness of l i fe $

The sea and a roar of crested waves $A ri s i ng mi st and h i dden sa i l s $The shore, thorn th i ckets and the moaning

of the p i nes $A home, and the shadow of death drawing near,A prayer for help

,a cry of desolat i on $

A swi ft memory of the brightness past,A wa i l for the lonel i ness to come $

The peace that passeth understand ing touchi nga beloved face,

And then—God ’ s hea l i ng love making a l i ke thebrightness and the mi st $

E ven ingThe d i stant beat i ng of the sea upon the shoreDeep wooded hi l l sWarm waves of a i r through sp i cy lanes $An odor of p i ne $A breath of wi ld roseA night i nga le ’ s song

A whi sper of love $

Morning $The sound of the ebbing t i de $The st i rring of the breeze upon the h i l lsA s ighing through the p ines $A breath of fa l len peta l s $A gleam of new buds $The seab i rd ’ s lone ly cry $A di stant sa i l

A memory foreve r$

Grant th i s one prayer, 0 Death $As I pass wi th thee to the unknown land ,That I may cross the Lethean stream

,

Nor taste i ts ch i l l i ng waters $My yea rs have had the i r sorrows

,

Sweet voi ces ca l led to meAnd passed into the s i lence,Tender eyes smi led into mine ,Then closed to S l eep beneath the flowers $And I have known the scorching brand of s in,I have wa lked lamely in the path of ri ght $But the fa i r ea rth has clothed herse l f i n green,O r folded on her snowy mantle before my happy

s i ght $Love has l ed me where the bi rds were s inging $Together we have stood bes i de the p leasant seaAnd watched the s i nk i ng s$n p i le up h i s golden

bi l lows $

I have fe lt the touch of ch i ldren ’ s fingers i n myha i r,

The pressure of the i r l i ps upon my breast,The musi c of the i r voi ces fi l l ed my earsT i l l a l l the world ’ s sound seemed joyous $Gladly I ’ l l dri nk my tears, 0 Death $

I ’ l l bear my scars through a l l etern i ty $But let me keep the memory of my happy yea rs$

SunsetA crimson glory on sea and skyA mel low t i nge touch ing the d i stant hi l lsThe bay, a stretch of Opa l l i ght $A boat upon the p lac i d waters $Love wa i t i ng on the other S i de $

Twi l i ghtThe fad ing g low $ dark shadows on the h i l l s $Black waters $ a sudden sweep of w indA leap i ng of whi te Spray $A cry from the shoreAn answeri ng cry from the sea $$nd then— only the sound of wi nd and wavesF i l l i ng the darkness $

Morn ingG lowing sky, and green hi l ls ri s i ng above the mi sts$eace ful waters

,and an empty boat dri ft i ng wi th

the t i deLove st i l l wa i t ing on the shore ,And over a l l the i nfini te mystery of God $

An acaci a w i th i ts yel low bloomA shimmer of ol ive leaves $The v ineyard ’ s pu rp le gleam $

Sunsh ine in the va l ley $A chi ld ’s j oyous laughA mother ’ s song $

Dropp i ng leaves and fad ing bloom $

Dust upon the ol i ve leaves $The v i neyard ’ s fa l l i ng fru i t $A cloud over the va l l ey $A l i ttl e grave $A mother ’ s sob$

Fresh green upon the ol ive leavesNew fragrance i n the acaci a ’ s bud $The blossoming grape gleaming i n the va l ley $Brown vi olets Springing from the l i tt le grave $$ evelat i on in the land $A mother ’ s song of hope $

Li fe wooed the earth $

Darkness covered the land, but fea r was passedaway $

The a i r was fu l l of tender fee l i ng $There was a murmuri ng sound whi ch was ne i the r

the twi ttering of bi rds ,Nor the ripp l i ng of water, nor the rustl i ng of l eaves $I t was the vo i ce of love answering the ca l l of l i fe $

The darkness deepened,

A l l sounds d i ed away into an e$ pectant hush,The st i l lness thri l l ed as wi th the breath of an

awakeni ng sleeper$A tinge of gray l i ght touched the east

,a sha ft o f

red p i erced the gray $

Dawn melted i nto morn ing , winter i nto spri ng $

E a rth lay smi l i ng in her bri da l robes $The grass was green, the wind flowers were b loom

ing on the hi l ls $$ i nk buds were swe l l i ng everywhere $And eve rywhere a sound of harmony, a stra i n of

me lody float ing through space $

I t was st i l l not the s ing ing of b i rds,nor the flowing

of water,

It was not the fanning of butterfl i e s ’ wings ,Nor the st i rri ng of roots i n the i r ea rthy beds ,Nor the rushing of sap through young branches $I t was a l l of these mingl ing together i n one d iv i ne

song of love and l i fe $

0 infini te transforming Myste ry,touch thou our

l i vesAnd renew thy Sp i ri t wi th in us $

Noont i deA dead land wrapped i n a brown Shroud

under a burn i ng s$ n $

Drear gray mounta i ns keep ing watch $A cayote

’

s cry from the dese rtA c loud of dust i n the a i r$

MidnightA mi st float i ng i n from the sea $A sense of coming l i fe $A thr i l l in the darkness $A sound of soft ly fa l l i ng ra i n

Morn ing dawni ngA ve i led sun i n the eastern sky $A mant l e of green fold i ng a l iv i ng va l leyA gleam of emera ld on the mounta i n s i deThe meadow lark ’ s whi st l i ng song $A breath of orange bloom upon the breeze $L ight, sound, beauty, l i fe $

I saw a gleam of blue waters and a stretch of ye llow sand $

Wide da i sy fields and dri fts of orcha rd bloom $

I hea rd a chi ld ’ s laugh and a rob in ’ s song $

There came a ri pp le on the waters ,And a Shadow fel l across the sand $The da i s i es bowed the i r heads $A shower of orchard bloom dropped down $A sudden s i lence $The chi ld no longer laughed ,The rob in ’ s song was hushed $

The ange l of death was pass i ng on hi s way $The sweet world knew

,only I d i d not understand $

Letbe

$

I had watched bes i de her many days $ I had meantto speak $ I had longed to wh i sper some word of trustand hOpe

— to say ,“

$ is ways wi l l be made p la i n $

Now the end had come, and the s i lence was unbroken

between $ s $

After a l l , a lthough my own fa i th i n the infini te tenderness had never fa i led , what meaning could myassurances have for her$ My ch i ldren came at dusk

,

and la id the i r sunny heads upon my breast$ Thosewhom She had cla sped wi th the same thri l l of motherlove wandered somewhere i n the world, i n what outerdarkness she knew not $ and long ago she had ceased topray that God would lead them home $

My l i fe was blessed wi th the love of one whowa lked strong and helpful among h is fe l lowmen $ $ e

to whom sh e had looked wi th the same proud hope hadfa ltered and fa l len $ and , when he d i ed, men spoke ofhi s years as of a l i st of fa i lures $

She had loved h im to the last $ She had been fa i thful and tender as her loya l nature told her a wi fe shou ldbe $ But i n her heart she had never forg i ven h i s weakness $ “ I want no herea fter,

$ she had once sa i d i n arare moment of confidence $

“ There can be no p lace norcondi t i on of happ iness wi thout i ts poss ib i l i ty of pa i n $

$a i n has a lways outwe ighed joy wi th me $ I wouldrather have no chances i n a future where my eXp eri

ence might repeat i tse l f $

$erhaps i t was as wel l that I had not Spoken, thatno word had roused the bi tte r memori es

,no unwi se

suggest i on j a rred the sens i t i ve fee l i ngs into pa i n $

The s leep of l i fe passed $u i etly i nto the s leep ofdeath $ The autumn sunsh ine flooded the room as thechange came, and touched the sad face wi th a tenderrad i ance $ I knel t for a moment bes i de her, a lthoughno prayer came to my l i ps and no tears to my eyes $

She had suffered so much, tea rs wou ld be se lfish $ Shehad hoped on l y for “ dust to dust, and I dared notpray that her hOpe might be unfu lfi l l ed $

When I a rose and moved softly out , the s$n was i nthe west $ The l i ght made a s i lver path across thewaters of the bay $ The whi te clouds were break ing i ntopurp le and gold $ A sense of my own loss and the mystery of our lot came over me as I sank down upon thesand and looked out at the Sh i ft i ng colors of sea andsk y $

Worn wi th watching, I must have s lept andd reamed $ for the sea d i sappea red, a lthough the soundof soft ly flowing water was st i l l i n my ears $ I saw ari ver, whi te wi th lotus blooms , wind i ng through banksof mi st $ A boatman wa i ted at h i s oars $

As I gazed , wonderi ng, a woman passed throughthe shadows nea r me, and paused at the water

’ s edge $

The boatman stood up , and held out h i s hand to her $“ Thi s i s the ri ver of forgetfulness,

$ he sa i d $

Wi l l you stoop and dri nk before you cross$

I could not see the woman ’ s face $ but She bent forward , and I could hea r the touch of eagerness i n he r

voi ce $

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

one who i s forg i ven $ She l i fted hers as i f a we ight wasgone , and the l i ght fe l l upon her face $

Then they turned toward the sunny s lopes, and themi sts rol led down $ I hea rd the clip of the boatman ’ soa r and saw—the sea wi th the s i lver path across i t, thesett i ng s$n, and the purp le clouds $

Inland

$‘

The day has passed i nto the west,The yel low fie lds have yi e lded up the i r sheaves $

I hea r the evening song of reapers ,And the low of catt le gatheri ng to the fold $The soft leaves rustle, and the night $ b i rds ca l lAnd peace l i es a l l across the land $

Father, I thank thee for i t a l lFor the ye l low harvest and the twi l i ght rest $For these peaceful va l leys where men dwel l$ S i n the hol low of th i ne hand $

But, oh, to fee l thy breath wi th i n the ocean’ s

breeze $To fee l the sa lt Spray dash upon my faceTo hea r the sea $ gul l s ’ cry and the deep surf roar $To let my hea rt leap out wi th the rushing t i de

,

And my blood keep pace wi th the flowing waveTo know aga i n l i fe ’ s fu lness and i ts j oy $To stand once more above the Go lden Gate $

$‘

I heard the sound of trade , and my ea r lost the infin i te ha rmoni es $

I felt the grasp of greed , and forgot the touch of theFather ’ s hand $

I saw deformi ty and v i ce , and the v i s i on of thebeaut i fu l passed from me $

I breathed suspi ci on and d i st rust, and the breath oflove left me unre freshed $

I fled from among my fel lowmen,and sought God

i n the fields , but found h im not $I ca l led to hi m in the forest

,but only my own voi ce

answered me $was a lone i n the uni verse—my sou l knew him not $was a fra id i n the great lone l iness $

I crept i n wi th the catt l e,and fe l l asleep upon the

straw $In my dreams I hea rd the Bethlehem mother S ing

i ng to her babeWhen I wakened , there was st i l l a sound among the

ra fters

$ as i t only the cry of young swal lows in the i rnests$

The Swi ft beat of the mother $ b i rd ’ s wing cut the

darkness,The cry d i ed away into a musi ca l murmur $I t wa s l i ke a p rayer hushed into a wh i sper of

thank sg i v i ng $

I no longer fe lt a lone , the p lace was ful l of lov e $

I lay a l l n ight upon the straw, and was not a fra i d $

When the dawn came, I went i nto the fields,I fe l t the Infini te L i fe thri l l i ng a l l space $I passed through the forest

,and the presence of

God was w i th me $

I came oncemore among my fel lowmen $I saw the marks of the d iv i ne sonsh ip upon the i r

faces

Inbo$nd Sails

at

There are purp le sa i l s i n the d i stant west ,And a gleam of gold on the smooth lake ’ s face $

There ’ s a whi sper of wi nds i n the voi celess trees $The wh i te m i st s ri se and the darkness fa l l s $The gold i s gone and the winds are st i l l

,

And the sa i l s have passed from si ght $

There ’ s a crimson glow i n the eastern sky,And an Opa l flash on the ri pp l ing waves $There ’ s a song of b i rds among the leaves $The dawn has passed and the breezes blowThe s$n i s out and the mi sts a re gone ,And the sa i l s have come to port $

The s$n was low when thy sa i l s went out,And the darkness fel l as they passed from si ght $The n ight was long and the winds were ch i l l $The morn ing bri ghtens

,the gray dawn breaks $

The sun glows warm,and the waters g leam $

For thy sa i ls come back to me $

ea

Lord,let me rest i n thy deep s i l ences $

My soul s i ckens wi th the $ar and stri fe $I am weary of the noi se and fret of men $

Let me go where thy t imi d creatures dwel l ,Where the rabb i t h ides and the wi ld thrush nests $Let me hea r the grass grow and the p ine leaves

fa l l $Let me breathe the wi ld rose and the $ i ol et ’ s

breath $Let me see the shadows creep among the trees,And the st i l l , sweet darkness coming down $Let me fee l the fulness of thy love, unbound by

creed or form $

Let my fa i th $u i cken and my soul grow strong w i thknowledge of thy nea rness $

Lord, l et me rest $ $ enew thy l i fe wi thin me $

Laas Deo

$

The November clouds hung low and gray$ Thew i nds swept the brown leaves down $ The bare branchesbeat aga i nst the w i ndow $ pane $ I lay very st i l l $ I wasnot suffering now, but pa i n had left me he lp less in bodyand weak i n sou l $ Suddenly a pea l of church bel l sfi l led the a i r $ the sound of many steps passed by $ thedeep tones of an organ reached me, and I heard voi cesS i ng i ng pra i se $ They wakened no echo wi thi n me $ I

turned on my pi l low, and wept for my lost j oys $ I livedaga i n through the days of my bi tte rness $ I rememberedhow the fi rst blow had come, j a rri ng our souls i nto aconsc i ousness of sorrow $ I was wi th her i n that sunnyroom $ and the songs of bi rds, the spring breezes , andthe breath of wi ld honey $ suckle seemed a pa rt of ourpa i n $ We d id not Speak , but the rad i ance i n her eyesdeepened as the hours passed $ When we knew that Imust go, she touched my hand and whi spered ,

“ I t is

for you and me to be strong $ And I went, knowingi t was her strength that sent me $

I was wi th her aga i n when the summer $u i et restedon wood and field $ The eterna l s i lence fi l led the room ,

and the everla st i ng peace was on her brow $ I d i d notcry out aga i nst the d i v i ne order then $ for the look onthat st i l l , sweet face forbade me $ But when the l iv i ngsorrows came— when one I loved wa lked i n a lone l i nesswhi ch I might not sha re $when anothe r cr i ed for he lpin what wa s ha l f a prayer to God and ha l f a ca l l to me ,and I cou ld not answer $when I knew a l i fe that loved

https://www.forgottenbooks.com/join

Liberty0 “

$oor brown brother, look ing toward the west,The $uest i on i ng l i ght of l i berty dawning i n thi ne

eyes $$ ow have we answered thi s, thy mute appea lFor help to wa lk in freedom, that rugged pathWhi ch most enl i ghtened men have cl imbed wi th

to i l $We have not ca l led thee toward the he i ghts ,Nor stretched our hand to save thy stumbl i ng feetNay, our batt le smoke darkens thy $u i veri ng l i ght $The swords of free men beat thee rude ly backThe tramp of l eg i ons crushes out thy hope,To thine undo i ng and to our eterna l shame $

$eace

0‘

The time draws near when Mary crooned her mothersong

Above the babe of Bethlehem $

And angels sang of peace on ea rth,Good wi l l to a l l manki nd $

Men ceased the i r to i l and le ft the i r flocks $The s i lent sta rs looked down upon a worldNew—wakened to the thought of brotherhood $

The t ime draws near to keep the fest iva l of peaceLi sten , brothers $ Is that Mary ’ s crad le $ song,Or the wa i l of a brown mother weep ing over home

less babes$Do I hear the angel s s i ng i ng,Or the bugle ’ s ca l l to batt le and the clash of a rms$I can not see the stars for flame and smoke $

Brothers , my hea rt i s troubled $ te l l me what i tmeans $

The t ime draws nea r to s ing the Chri st $ ch i ld ’ s song,

To bea r our offeri ngs to the $ rince of $eace $But every breeze bri ngs sounds of war$0 , countrymen of mi ne , throw down your arms $Let the ne$ t sea$ wind blow clear of battl e smoke,That we may l i ft our eyes to the gu id i ng sta rs $Let them lead us to the Chri st $ chi ld ’ s feet $