(fia t of Erra t a N ATURE SO N G S

AN N I E ! OH N SON F L I N T

A ut hor of

By t h e Way S ongs of t h e Bl ess e d H op e S ongs of Fait h and Comfort S ongs of G race and G lory “ ” Songs of t h e S aviour Songs in t he Nigh t

Uniform in S tyle and Pri ce Copyr ight e d

fi na nge liml Hu hlizhzr a

I ncorpora t ed 191 2

66 B a t e e t To ro nt o 2 C anad a 3 y S r ,

N A T U R B S O N G s -0

I n T h e Be ginning HE lights of the city gleam and glow s In the misty purple du k, II Burst ing out of the grimy globes Like tropical fruits from t h e husk : A of myriad sparkling orbs light , V t iolet , golden , scarle , white ,

Bla zing up at the stars of night .

But the light was not in the globes ; ’ Man s hand has led it there , his u u ht His power, tho ght , the wonder wro g , Captured and chained the flare ; t h e And light obeys his will ,

The mind of man and his skill .

of th e i But back l ght is the power house , s u Where the great wheel tireless t rn , Where the pulleys lift and the gearings

And the roaring fires burn . t h e o t h e n And back of p wer mi e, Where t h e toiling slaves of t h e Lamp Burrow like moles in the black pit ' holes

In the dust and the deadly damp .

And back of the mine are th e buried trees t n n Where the s ro g wi ds laid them low , n Charred by the fires of ce turies , Smoldering deep and slow a The days of the Lord are a thous nd years , m n The eves and the mo s of the circli g spheres, And a thousand t housand lingering days Pa i ssed over the trees and the h dden blaze . 0 U T O F D O O R S

of And back the charred trees are the green , When the columnar shafts rose high ;

of ’ And back the forest the white hot sun . With its cords of the heat and the moisture spun

Drawing the seedlings out of the earth ,

Up and up to the sk y .

And of sun V h back the is the oice, t at spoke

Unto the light, and the light awoke ; F t h e t n n rom da eless daw i g of Time it rings,

’ t n From the dim , forgot en begi ning of things ; of t h e V is ; And back oice the, Word A nd the formless void heard

And the face of the deep was stirred . o t And back of the Word is omnip tent Though , m n r in O niscie t Spi it , power that wrought, t t Infini e , Triune Creator , who brough Light from the darkness and Life from the clod ;

God . In the beginning ,

The Cre ator

E takes the scent of the softening ground Where t h e first green blade pricks through He takes the reddening maple bough ' s u A slant again t the bl e , ’ He takes the cheer in the robin s song ’ of blue f bird s n And the flash the wi g , t The joy of prisoned hings set free ,

And of these he makes the Spring .

He takes the sheen of the waving wheat clou d 'sh adows ss Where the slow pa , He takes the brook’ s soft rippling tune

And the daisied meadow grass, ’ He takes th e swish of the mower s scythe ' I n n the noo tide s hot , white glare ,

The joy of labor and growing things,

And makes the Summer fair . N A T U R E S O N G S -0- 0-0-0-0-0-0-1

He takes the sound of the dropping nuts And th e scent of th e wine sweet air of 8 In the twilight time the year long day,

When the spent Earth kneels in prayer, He takes a thousand varied hues av Aglow in an opal h e, o of The ! y the harvests gathered in ,

And makes the Autumn days .

of He takes the peace the snowy fields, ’ s A leep neath the clear, cold moon , He takes the grace of the leafless trees to s That sway the wind wild rune , frost f made on n The lace the window pa e , of The whirl the starry flakes, o of The ! y the rest when toil is done ,

And the quiet Winter makes .

- old He takes the years, the , the new, t Wi h their changing scenes and brief, close ' sh ut i The bud and the fru ting bough ,

Flower and fading leaf, o ss Grace and gl ry and lack and lo , i The song, the s gh, the strife, o hO e u l The ! y of p and the hope f filled ,

And makes of the years a life .

our of He takes lives and the sum them, of His will and the will man ,

Evil and good and dream and deed , u s our His p rpo e and plan , The thwarted lives and the crippled lives

And the things that give them worth , o of of The ! y life and the pain life ,

And makes the Heavens and Earth . O U T O F D O O R S -0

The Mak ing of the Beautiful

EA DOW and vale and mountain ,

Ocean and lake and wood , God looked on the fruit of His labor And saw that His work was good ; And yet was there something lacking

In the world that he had made, i nn Someth ng to brighten the gree ess, Something to lighten the shade!

s He took a hred of the rainbow, A ' bit of the sunshine s gold, The colors of all the jewels of The mines earth enfold , A piece of the mist of evening

With the sunset woven through , A of sk a scrap the y at noond y,

A . clear , unclouded blue i Of these He fash oned the flowers,

And some were red , like the rose , o a And s me were a lovely 2ure, And some were pale as the snows ;

Some, shaped like a fairy chalice to The perfumed honey hold , And some were stars of silver,

And some were flakes of gold .

fl s They ashed in the gloom of the forest , t he They clung to the boughs of trees, in They hid the grass of the meadows , on e They drifted away the bre ze, They fell in the clefts of the canyons A nd on t h e u nt ns a high mo ai b re , Where never an eye should see them a S ve His Who had made them fair . ! ! i But still there was someth ng wanting , His labor was not yet done ;

P age Six I ii! N A T U R E S O N G S

He gathered more of the colors ai Of r nbow and sky and sun , And now unt o t h es e He added of The music sea and land, i e The tune of the rippl ng riv r, on The splash of the waves the sand, ’ The raindrops lilting measure, ’ n The pine tree s croo ing sigh , ’ The aspen s lisping murmur, d low The win s lullaby, Faint fluting of angel voices

From heavenly courts afar , t h e And softest , dreamiest echoes

Of the song of the morning star . Then deftly His fingers moulded The strong and the delicate things Instinct wit h the !oy and the beauty Of song and of soaring wings ;

Nightingale , heron and seagull, - Bobolink, lark and then , I think that He smiled a little A s He tilted the tail of the wren , As He made the owl ’ s face solemn ' And twisted the blue jay s crest , As He be nt the beak of the parrot ’ st And smoothed the oriole s ve , As He burnished the crow ’ s jet plumage ’ And the robin s breast of red ; I n t h e cold of the northern springt ime ! The children will love it , He said . ai So some were qu nt and cunning , n And some were o ly fair, And some He gave a song to 10 ai r . And , the birds of the hi And the snippets of t ngs left over, oss s He t ed out under the skie , f Where, falling, luttering, flying, s Behold , they were butterflie ! 0 U T O F D 0 O R S -O -0- 04

Tom Th umb Y ellow bird

LINT of su nshine and a song ; Th is is Tom Thumb Yellowbird ; n t Sure , from such a ti y mi e

Lo uder strain was never heard .

s of Ju t a pair wings and throat, Midget chorister of glee ; c Just two sunbeams and a voi e ,

Sublimated melody .

sunf worshi er True pp is he, Devotee of summertime ; of or Naught frost blight he knows, Following warmth from clime to clime

u Steeped in sunlight through and thro gh, s Feathered mor el of pure gold , ’ Greatheart atom , brimming o er

With the ! oy he cannot hold .

Gleam of sun , by shadow chased , Flitting in and out the trees ; / of Thumb nail sketch energy ,

Busy as the murmuring bees .

Soul of glad contentment he ,

Happy, happy all the day, Sweetening toil from dawn to du sk

With his tireless roundelay . N A T U R E S O N G S -0

The Ph oebe Bird HEN springtime days are bright and i And skies are blue and sh ning , xRA lonely little bachelor Goes grieving and repining ; Among th e budding orchard trees ' From dawn to dark he s calling , ’ Athwart the robins cheery tones His plaintive accents falling ’ ! — f — Ph ce 'be Ph ce be where s Phoe be!

O cruel must the maiden be n To leave him thus despairi g , The while she loiters on the road For his distress uncaring! When other birds are glad and gay

And blithely they are singing, He still repeats his pleading cry As here and there he ’ s winging — P oe' —Ph oef be P oe ! h be come , h be

He h as no heart his home to plan That nest of dainty be auty Till she has come his toil to share v In wifely lo e and duty . 80 all the day this faithfu l swain His loneliness is voicing ; Ph ce be O , come , and end his plaint, s And he shall ing, rejoicing , “ ’ f — — t be t ' be here s Phoe be ! 0 U T O F D O O R S -0

The L ittle Bird s of G od

HEAR them at my window in the late, gray

winter dawn , a i The little birds of God , the f rth ng sparrows of His care ;

H is . They ask of me, as I of Him , gift of daily bread

With soft, impatient twitterings they voice their

morning prayer . m The heavenly Father feedeth the , the little birds

of God, Though ’ tis my hand that scattereth the food within their reach ; I do but share His bounty when I give the crumbs

to them . art x lem ns O doubting he and an ious heart , what they can tea ch !

sow They not , neither do they reap , nor gather into

barns , ’ Content if but each day shall bring the day s supply of food ; n No question whe ce it comes , nor if the morrow bringeth more

Small optimists in feathers, who are sure that all is good !

s God eeth when they fly or fall . Am I less worth than they! l I would not fail them in their need . Is He ea true than I! I in would not mock their faith me, nor hurt them, nor betray ; ' s s n a H e to H is n s I an wer to their tru ti g c ll , childre N A T U R E S O N G 5

When sunset tints the fading light and dusk is

falling fast , The while I draw th e curtains close and stir the h earth f fire r b ight , of God I hear their cheerful chirping , the little birds , And wonder to what shelter they are fleeing for

s But they, as I , shall rest secure beneath the wing of Love, Though storm and darkness sweep the sea and

cover all the land . ' so f G of My life and theirs, small and rail , od s care both the same ; My soul a nesting bird within the hollow of His

hand .

I n Fe bruary

’ H, they say it s growing colder every day, ’ That the winter s growing bolder every day Since the bears gone back to sleep his and In cavern dark deep , ’ six s There ll be weeks more of nowing, of — Of freezing and blowing every day .

’ t h e d But ay s a little longer every day, ’ And the sun s a little stronger every day ; ‘ e If we re pati nt for a while, l see m We shal the summer s ile , And the buds will soon be showing, ’ For da they re growing , growing , growing every y

And the birds will soon be singing every day, Nort hward now t hey 11 soon be winging every day ; f i s Though the rost in the air, There 8 a feeling everywhere s r That the skie are g owing clearer, ’ th e t w And spring ime s dra ing nearer every day . C! U T O F D 0 O R S -0-0 -0 0 - -0

Whe n t h e L eav es Fall

H EN sunny days and frosty night s t Have wrought heir mystic alchemies, With amber warp and woof of flame They weave their Orient tapestries ; And where the leafy tents of green s All summer long their shadows ca t , ' Oct ober s gay pavilions stand ’ Till levelled by November s blast . — Green leaves and golden fair were they ;

But beautiful , when they are gone, n of The cha ging pageant the skies , of The drifting clouds, the rose dawn ;

And , when those splendid curtains fall

That nightly foiled the peeping stars, I note the blaze of sunset fires And catch th e ruby glow of Mars ;

' I see pale Venus lamp of pearl ’ Across the purpling heavens arch Flash signal to the hosts of night

To recommence their stately march , And watch while world on radiant world

With answering gleam wheels into place, U dot ' and' dash ntil the fiery , F ar' limmerin of g g, fills the deeps space ,

50 doth the near obscure the far, a The e rthly hide the heavenly view , And life must oft some glory lose

Ere we can see the stars shine through .

451 P age Twelve I ! N A T U R E S O N G S -0

Wh en Sir O riole Come s

HEN the oriole has come, ' Then I know that summer s here ; ’ t n He s no Spar a , to endure

' Frost nipped toes with smiling cheer . Long ago the waiting Spring

Sent her mystic summons forth , n And in haste, with cla ging cries ,

n . Rose the wild geese , faring orth Robin came when March winds keen Ruffled all his feathers bright ’ “ And the flickers harsh Ha ! Ha ! ’ Mocked old Winter s tardy flight . too Bluebird followed , goldfinch , s m Then the um er yellowbird , ’ Acolyte at Summer s shrine ;

All day long his chant was heard .

So at last the stage was set For the court of Q ueen of May ; P rince of all her cavaliers,

Came Sir Oriole , blithe and gay . Watch him preen his scarlet coat s o ' In the blo s ming cherry tree, Breathing in the fragrance soft ; ! O , a sybarite is he Does he know—the dainty elf n How he glorifies the sce e , Like a flaming jewel set I n the white and pearly green! Did he choose the place with care! Litt le bunch of vanity ! r n n n C oo i g, plai tive, all the while , n Such a wooi g melody , 0 U T O F D O O R S -0- 0- 0-0-0-0-0-0-1

W c Such a tender, it hing call

For his loitering mate to come, li i S m and sleek in sat n gown,

u . Q uaker beauty , shyly d mb of Now, a blazing shaft light , See him flash at hwart the bloom ! ' O , I know the summer s here ,

For the oriole has come . The Bird ’ s Me ssage

t ! G , li tle birds, oh , sing

come while the trees are bare, frost yet locks the streams And t h e north wind chills the air ; u You tr st that the green leaves wait, ’ ns and Su hine , summer s breath ;

Oh , teach us your simple faith

That life shall follow death .

! Sing , little birds, oh, sing s of Give us the me sage God , That under the cloudy skies And up from the frozen sod The seeds that we sow shall spring e To life and b auty and bloom , And that so shall our dead arise

From the dark and silent tomb .

! Sing, little birds, oh, sing w Our hearts are heavy ith grief, And under t h e darkened skies

We doubt of flower and leaf,

Doubt that the earth yet lives, Cold in it s shroud of snow : n t oh ! Si g , li tle birds, , sing — t ou . We doub , but y know you know

45] P age F ou rt een Ev - 0 -0

The Brid ge Build e rs

of t ! H. never the land their birth can hold hem

The wastes untrodden shall call them far, of t Where winds an alien clime enfold hem . ' Lone neath the light of a stranger star . s of Earth make them free her secret places , And one with her ageless solit udes ; of i st l es The heirs are they her h gh , i l spac , r n of F ie ds the forest, and wards of the woods

o Their f es are the swamp , the racing river, ’ t Fa homless quicksand and jungle s breath ,

The icy chill and the wasting fever, Imminent danger and waiting death ; e to s t But th irs the courage face di as er, st The ubborn patience , the cunning skill ; t t The forces of na ure they meet and mas er ,

Tame and bend to their utmost will .

Their shrieking whistles that calm shall break ; Where never the voice of man hath spoken

Their drills and hammers the echoes wake . t he r At their commandment ocks are riven , are The mountains move and the seas stayed ,

Where wild beasts hunted their stakes are driven ,

Where eagles nest ed their trail is made . With chain and compass and line and plummet They gauge and measure and bound their dream ; c They pierce the p eak and they s ale the summit , Harness the torrent and halt the stream ; Where plunging cataracts fall in thunder Their airy webs o er the void are hung ; W t Where hirlpools whi en , the girders under, Their piers are fixed and their trest les flung 0 U T O F D O O R S 3 0-0- 0-0 0-0 - - -0 -0

They level the hill and they fill the hollow To t h e make a road for men who roam, t Smooth and s raight for the feet that follow, or Seeking for pleasure or gold home . u a t Tho gh hidden tre sure heir picks uncover, They leave and lose it and still press on ; van of t In the progress heir armies hover, d Here to ay, and tomorrow gone .

B n efore them the sile ce of desolation , Waterless desert and treeless plain ; i Behind them the tread of a march ng nation , n Roari g cities and leagues of grain . s The wilderness yields to their slow per istence , The reef and the tundra their word await ; n The peaceful victors of space and dista ce , The mighty masters of time and fat e !

The First Song-Sp arrow PRING is coming ! trills the robin bold wind is blowing bleak and

cold , And rags and tatters left by winter drear s s 1 In lingering fringes of the snow app ,

The cheery prophet of a good to be , Wit h no regard for what his eye may see

Hurls brave defiance at the stormy skies,

And st urdily repeats his prophecies .

But sudden comes a day of softer air

With still , warm sunshine lying everywhere ; r The leafless trees a sharper shadow t h ow , And vanished every vestige of the snow ;

A silver haze blurs all the hard blue sky, And veils the distant hills in m st ery ; an Then , ently, joyous, tender, serene, As if e promised good at last were seen , I hear the first song'sp arrow of the y ear h r e e . With confidence proclaiming , Spring is “ QI P age Sixt e e n I !

U U T O F D O 0 R S -0-0-0‘

The Butte rfly E that kills a worm

! ills a butterfly . In the ugly form Of the crawling thing Folded lies the wing That shall cleave the sky ; In the creeping worm Doomed his way to plod With no thought nor care sod Higher than the , Rest s the spirit form

Clothed in beauty rare, That shall mount on high Free of earth and air ; Once this shape outgrown o of C mes the bliss flight , Glory and delight

l Spare the slow , du l form , s Pa s the creature by, He that kills a worm

! ills a butterfly .

Does the sluggish thing,

Waiting dull and dumb,

Feel the folded wing , Dream of joys to come! Does he go his ways

Through the long, slow days, ! nowing that they tend ! All to one sure end

h ! Worm , I thrill with t ee

Eager and elate , Fettered here I wait For the life to be ;

ciI P age E ight ee n I E! N A T U R E S O N G S

Feel th e folded wings n Fai tly stir and rise , While the clay that clings

Holds them from the skies .

Though the body wear f t Old with re and care , Though it weary grow o n Of the treadmill r u d , Plodding dull and slow n Here upon the grou d , ! Grant , O Lord of Life th e n s That wi g of me ,

Struggling to be free ,

May emerge from strife,

Sorrow , toil and pain With no spot nor stain; May unmarred escape t From his mortal shape . May I ever strive

These to keep alive, These from death to save ’ And the body s grave ;

Patient may I bide, u Tho gh unsatisfied , Still content to stay n My appoi ted day, u Till the shrouded so l , o a L osed from d rk and dole , From the clay that clings s Chrysalis that hold , Hampers and enfolds s n Spread at last its wi gs, Evermore to be

One with life and Thee . 0 U T O F D 0 0 R 8 -0 -0-0

The H olly Tree

of H, make an emblem the holly tree! I t s green recalls the palm of victory, ’ of The martyr s sign triumph in the strife, The deathless hope in that immortal life

Which every Spring, rejoicing, typifies ; I ts red is love and joy and sacrifice . of True type fortitude and patient cheer, It will not pine though all the world be drear ; The Winter wraps it in the snowdrifts chill

It lifts its head with sturdy courage still , Shakes from its boughs the clinging mass of white And shows its coronal of berries bright

That hold the Summer in their hearts , and glow ’ n Like living coals amid the ashes s ow, ' of l The garnered sunshine a ife s long way, n The bits of brightness i the wintry day .

e So leaf and berry each its story t lls, ’ But there s another word the holly spells ; it What links , brave amid the wintry snows, With t h e frail sweetness of the summer rose! Yet both in bristling thorns are panoplied

And for their capture many a hand has bled . What is the meaning here unless it be That far more precious than the leafy tree ’ Or the fair beauty of the Summer s bloom Its airy grace and delicate perfume

Are the sharp thorns that rouse from selfish peace , “ ! From primrose paths and flowery ways of ease , And prick us from a life of low content ’ To spur us onward to the mount s as cent!

From weakness strength shall come , from bitter,

sweet , And bloom and b erry thus be made complete ; For strength and sweetness must perfected be — By pain the thorns of rose and holly tree .

4 P age Twent y E N A T U R E S 0 N G S (D O-0 -0-0 -0 0 - -0-0

’ No kinglier crown man s brows have ever worn t d Than hat one fashioned from the platte thorn , And sometimes unto us a thorn is lent

Until we make the pain a sacrament . For no man knows the best that life can give Until by dying he has learned to live ;

Until the crown of suffering he has worn ,

And known the compensation of the thorn .

Morning Glorie s

I TTL E bits of bloom celestial

On the earth reborn , P n i k and purple, snow and azure, Each new day adorn ; t Little chalices of beau y, of Trumpets delight , Cups of !oy distilled in darkness f From the dews o night .

Fragile beauty, fleeting glory, ’ Short the hour that s given ; Yet each night and morning finds them So much nearer heaven ;

Though the blossoms droop and wither , Still the clinging vine Rou nd each bar that lifts it higher Eagerly will twine ; i i s n i Striv ng , reach ng, gra pi g, hold ng , ’ ’ o er Upward , o er and , So the heavenly morning' glories e S ek their home once more .

our a Let hearts thus greet e ch morning, Joyous as the day ; Let our sou ls t hus climb to heaven

From the earth away . 0 U T O F D O 0 R S -0

The Sea She ll

let its ERE it lie , beside ancient home, k Nor bear it far away from all it nows , s From all it love , remembers and desires ; for toy Aphrodite , ere she rose .

From cradle ' rockings of the summer seas T n o be the joy a d solace of the earth . So lea ve it here ; the tide may draw it back To e thos translucent depths that gave it birth .

What music murmurous yet fills its heart ,

What haunting fragments of lost melodies, h alf f for ot t en What lovely g minor strains, What crashing chords and stormy symphonies

What rippling lullabies in still lagoons, s What flooding harmonie of winds and waves, u What mournf l requiems on coral reefs , ’ What organ anthems o er unquiet graves .

Could we but know what memories it keeps!

n farf off Percha ce upon a , golden morn

It saw the sportive Nereids at play, And heard some Triton blow his wreat hed horn

Perchance it heard the clash of smitten shields ’ r of e Half d own the thunder shout Cyrus hord , ” ” Thalassa ! and Thalassa ! ringing down ’ The slope o er which the great Ten Thousand

’ Perchance it saw th e Argonaut s brave prows Turn seaward on their argent questing long ; t Perchance it watched Ulysses at the mas , ’ Se lf 'bound n s n , drift past the sirens luri g o g N A T U R E S O N G S

Perchance it heard the wrathful tempest roar l That whe med Leander in its seething tide, And saw the flickering torchlight paint the wave

That beat against the rocks where Hero died .

So wav e f wet , leave it here upon the sand ,

Among the seaweed and the flying foam, That soon the ebbing tide may draw it back

And bear it downward to its ancient home .

The Camp Fire H E E RI L Y crackles the morning fire , While the red flashes mount higher ; i a h n Twisting and bend ng, smoke wre t s ascendi g , Earth sounds and air sounds in harmony blending n Bright through the tree tops the sunlight is falli g , Joy is awaking ! A new day is breaking ! s to its sa Ri e labors, your slumbers for king a on He p the fagots, stir the blaze higher ,

s s . Cheerily, co ily, crackle the fire Good morning!

Dreamily flickers the evening fire W hile the dusk shadows creep higher and higher, ’ in t Daylight is end g, quie s descending, Earth sounds and air sounds in peacefulness blending ; t h t he t he is Dim rough tree tops starlight falling, ’ Soft in the silence a drowsy bird s calling ; e n s n n Sl epily winki g, tealthily bli ki g,

All the red coals into ashes are sinking . e Cover the emb rs lest it burn higher, a th e . Dre mily, drowsily smoulders fire 0 U T O F D O O R S

The Water-L ily ’ s Story

EN first I woke to life, ’ Deep down in the river s bed , could not breath e for th e stifling ooze

And the blackness over my head .

In darkness I longed for the light , P risoned , I yearned to be free , th e and In dreams I pined for sky the wind , For star and bird and tree ; ” And : air I said I will rise to that upper ,

And the life that draweth me .

The tw ining weeds of the wat er r world Reached out and held me fast ; The lithe reeds wove a tangled net To catch me as I passed ; The creeping things of mire and mud Beckoned and bade me st ay ; and t In the treacherous current , swift s rong , I felt my weak stem sway ; o o st But thr ugh them, ver them, pa them all ,

I took my upward way .

Till , white , white , and e Brimmed with sunshine st eped in light, I lifted up my fragrant cup Bloom of the daytime and star of the night In rapture I gazed at the heavens blu e

And knew that all my dreams were true . And pure and fair my white leaves bear of Never a trace slime and mold , And the crawling things of the under world

Have left no taint on my heart of gold . ’ s on t h e In peace I re t river s breast , and n And living , I love, , lovi g, live , And t n t u , brea hi g deep of hat pper air, M t y life o the world in sweet ness give .

O U T 0 F D O O R 8 -0- 0 The Song of Cre ation ’ l HE sun and the cloud declare God s g ory, The sea and the land repeat the story ; t one From deep un o deep theme is pealing, From height unto height the echo stealing ; one l The day to the day tale is tel ing, And night u nto night one word is spelling The voice of the wind in the desert crying Is one with the croon of the pines replying ; The lilt in the not e of the wild bird ringing Is tuned to the choral t h e stars are singing ; One chant have lake and fount and river Praise ye the Lord

And bless His name forever .

One gladness the green of the grass is showing ’ And bright in the daffodil s gold is glowing ; One joy in the scent of the rose is breathing And in the grace of the vine v leav es wreathing ; One rapture is felt by the sap upwelling And by the veins of the leaf / bud swelling ; One bliss thro’ the butterfly ’ s wings is thrilling And out of the crocus cup is spilling ; - One hymn hath the heart of the earth a quiver Praise ye the Lord i And bless H s name forever . From generation to generation a s s The heavens and e rth with His prai e ring , And 10 ! the paea n of all creation Is one with the anthem the angels sing The saints h ave learned it with tears and crying

In earthly sorrow and earthly night, x s The lips of the ransomed , unve ed by ighing, s Shall breathe it with rapture in cloudles light, And the surging tide of their jubilation Through years e ternal shall still be rolled By every people and tribe and nation In that new song that is yet the old ;

fl Page Twenty-six I ! N A T U R E S O N G S 0 - 0 -0-0-0- -0-0

And sweet shall it sound by the crystal river Praise ye the Lord

And bless H is name forever .

l All e se may fail , His goodness faileth never, All ha else may change, His love is c ngeless ever, o From age to age , forever m re the same n Praise ye the Lord and magnify His ame .

Ap p le Blossoms

OD might have clothed the app le / t re es In scentless brown or gray and os i Such frail fleeting bl som ng, So soon to pass away

Inst ead of this fair spri ngtime garb Of fragrant pink and pearl That flutters down like rosy snow

' On every breeze a whirl .

H is goodness gives th e pleasant fruit On laden boughs downv be nt ; ' n His loving ki dness adds the bloom ,

Its beauty and its scent .

He loads us with His benefits no t Until wan we know, And then He se nds the litt le more t ‘ ’ w Tha makes our cup o erflo .

He opens wide His hand of love ; He gives no st ingy dole ; His tender mercies crown our days 0 s m ! bles the Lord , y soul

- ! «31 Page Twenty sevenI ! 0 U T O F D O O R S -0 T h e L ullaby of R ain

H ROUGH th e sultry city daylight I had toiled

with throbbing head ,

But i , at n ght , though spent and weary, slum her from my wooing fled ; Still before my aching vision lines of figures came

and went , ’ Ghosts of those long hours of labor and the day s

i mpri sonment . Only glare and tumult entered through the window

opened wide, ’ Naught of freshness e er could reach me from the surging human tide ; Th en a muttered growl of thunder and the light ' ’ nin s farf off g flare, And a sudden breath of coolness in the hot and murky air ; ’ There s a patter on the . shingles and a tap against

the pane, for of ! Oh, the orchestra is tuning the Lullaby Rain

Now the spell it weaves about me wraps me in its mesh of dreams t ha Till reality is blended wi h the thing t t only seems, of And my sigh soft contentment wafts my thought,

like homing dove, on r i i to u Straight , swift une ring p n on a little ho se

I love .

Far away from city pavements, never jangling sound

it hears, Watcher of the dawns and sunse ts through the peaceful passing years ; When the twilight calm enfolds it and the purple

mists arise , s Oh , that still , unlighted darkness is a re t for tired Like a whispered benediction falls the hush of even '

tide, Changeless through the changing seasons doth my

House of Memories bide . N A T U R E S O N G 8

I can hear the water running from the overhanging

eaves . ’ elm'tree s And a liquid , lisping trickle from the

drooping leaves, ’ There s a clatter on t he shingles and a splash against

the pane, to ull of Oh, I know the blessed prelude the L aby

’ ’ Sweeter than the censer s fragrance is the orchard s

Spicy odors floating upward to that low f ceiled attic room ; Dim against the outer blackness gleams the Win' ’ dow s open space, e eart h 'sce nts And the faint , lusive , drifting through

it, cool my face . I can smell the fresh wet lilacs from the bush beside the door, — And the quick tears burn my eyelids I shall enter

’ I can hear the sleepy twitter of a bird s note from the s tree , ’ And meadowf brook s e the hoars murmur, borne upon the rising breeze ; ’ There s a choked and chuckling gurgle from th e

And a drip ! drip ! drip ! staccato from the soaked

and streaming leaves , Then a rush along t h e shingles and a dash against

the pane, in l of ai ! Oh , a hundred voices mingle the Lu laby R n Now the single sounds are merging in a long , crescendo roar That shall drown all les ser noises in its steady pelting pour ; of old ! a Hence , ye phantoms labor ye shall h unt me now i n vain

- As I drift away to dreamland to the Lullaby of Rain .

§I P age Twenty-mm I t! 0 U T O F D 0 0 R S -0

I n the Winte r Wood s

N the desolate forest th e snowf wreaths cover

The dead things over with ermine pall , of n And the bare brown cup a nest forsake ,

Where no birds waken with jocund call, Is filled with the silence of cold flakes drifting ’ And lightly sifting , that o er it fall .

’ of nor of tis But neither grief gloom telling , This empty dwelling where song is stilled ; It whispers yet of a day of gladness t Untouched by sadness , wi h joyance thrilled , of Of a dream come true, a finished story,

The rainbow glory of Hope fulfilled .

’ of Twas a cup poured full the wine of pleasure, ’ o erflowed Unstinted measure its brim,

And the near, and the far, and the new, the olden , ’ to The gray, the golden, Earth s wide rim, s o Had each a hare in that ! y of living ,

A beauty giving no cloud might dim .

For your hearts were in tune with the great Earth ’ Mother s, O Little Brothers of Airy Flight ! of No fear the future your thoughts invading , Of green leaves fading or skies less bright ;

Since you knew, ere the chill of the frost could

scare you ,

Your wings would hear you beyond its blight .

o of ! O wee , brave s uls a cheer unfailing How unavailing the loads we bear ;

And oft I long , when I hear you singing,

Your far flight winging through sunlit air,

To rise , like you, to the Heavenly places, to s In wide , free spaces lo e my N A T U R E S 0 N G S D O-O

our But thoughts may mount as you rise, and follow o Like h ming swallow that seeks her mate, As you lead them up through the low clouds trailing , ’ t Its glory veiling , to Heaven s ga e, From the Land of the Perfect Peace to borrow

of . The balm sorrow, for which we wait

earth v born Dear dwellers, akin to Heaven ,

’ ai Between them ever a ch n you re weaving, e The blue d pths cleaving on pinions fleet,

And the notes you glean at that radiant portal ,

a . From songs immortal , your own repe t

s of n In the hu h the woods , by their memories hau ted A s land enchanted , where dream have birth, i for w I l nger long, I fain ould capture of i The wraith rapture, the ghost of m rth ; Yet w n I know they are shut in their sno y priso , new 'rise n Till Life , , shall wake the earth .

Forget-M e -N ots

e out of HEN Eve pass d Eden , Beside its guarded gates

She saw a flower blooming, Afar from all its mates ; And tearfully sh e raised it And tenderly she bore Away from that loved gard Where she should walk no more

But grew the flower and flourished And lifted up its face

Bright with the Eden beauty, n Fair with the Ede grace , s Dear blo som of remembrance , its Blue as native skies, ” not s Forget me , till breathing O U T 0 F D O 0 R 8

The Flight of the Air-Ship

n s Yacht Butterfly, loosing your moori g away! wind / t ossed of the clover, Where do you cruise t oday!

’ Ware the web of the yellow spider Lur king beside the stream ! ’ ai 3 There by the cat t ls something moving, Flickering flash and gleam ; ui ! ! Q ck up sail and away, O Captain

'

This is a craft to fear ,

Armored cruiser and merciless pirate, Dragonfly buccaneer !

h eavil f laden Signal in passing the y , e frei ht er f be es Lumb ring g , or Riding at anchor taking cargo, Moored in the app le 't re es ; now Steer you for the upper currents, Northerly with t hem swing ;

cli er/ built Air'L ine Here go the pp ships of the ,

Birds of the tireless wing .

ou Far beneath y , in shine and shimmer ’ Map of the world s unrolled ;

Burnished buttercups glow and glisten ,

Field of the Cloth of Gold , s Riotous breezes are blowing the blo soms, Whe at / h eads bow ripple and , Foam 'like the green of the poplars whitens

Under your dancing prow .

! da Oh the y is a dream of beauty, n Lo g are the hours and bright , n s Slowly, slowly its radia ce oftens, Dims and darkens to night

O U T O F D O O R S

The Crag of the Cross

A atura rmat i n on t h e I s an o Manan in t he ( N l Fo o l d f ,

Bay of Fundy . !

a of hl ESIDE the ble k coast the Nort and, t r st where winds with the empests keep t y , i t o m Amid a w ld wel er of waters, an island l o s out of the mist ; Forever t h e high tides of Fundy sweep past with a

rush and a roar, Forever th e gulls cry t heir warning when fog wreathes the desolate shore ; b t h e ‘ b t h e v the A ove gray illows cliffs frown , abo e ff grim cli s bends the sky, And clear against cliffr side and heavens the Crag of the Cross rises high .

Of old hath He laid its foundations who holdeth the

sea in His hand , Who weighet h its waters by measure and se tt eth their bounds by th e sand ; t it — st And slowly His craf smen have carved , the fro and the st orm and the wave Rough f h ewn from the rock everlast ing where zeons

their annals might grave . ’ ’ n o er t Long, lo g ere Be hlehem s manger the Star t shed its radiant ligh , ’ And long ere on Calvary s summit th e noonday was shrouded in nigh t ; ’ Wh ile kingdoms and nat ions had risen and played

their brief parts for a day, And countless new creeds and old systems had flourished and passed to decay ; While oracles lapsed into silence and prophets grew

weary and dumb, C uri s was The ross, through the cent e waiting,

pledge of a faith yet to come .

And never the surf overwhelms it and never the ’ surges o erflow - 6] P age Thirty fou r Be N A T U R E S O N G 3

Though still through the storm and the sunshine the treacherous tides come and go ; r They toss, but they may not pass over ; they oar, not but they shall prevail, And day after day they are baffled and night after night they shall fail ; For ever in vain is their striving to foil the decree

He hath made . no a Thus far shalt thou come but f rther, and here ” shall thy proud waves be stayed,

Their force and their arts all defying , the Crag

every onset shall breast ,

And come they in peace or in anger, at the foot of

the cross they must rest .

dawnf tint ed In summer, like shimmering Opals, the waters will sleep Till comes the mysterious signal and stealthily land ' ward they creep ; With soft sighing whispers beguiling they playfully on break the beach , With musical rippling and plashing the sweet sing'

ing voices beseech . s h an and x s si Like c p ts fawning coa ing, care ng and dimpling in glee ;

But ever the Cross rises silent, majestic, unmoved b y their plea .

’ And winter s black hordes charge as vainly, hurled u s forward with th nderou shocks, With crash of relentles s battalions and rending and grinding of rocks ; Urged on by the lash of the storm ' wind and heedles s of all in their path , They batter the outlying ridges with hissing white of t torrents wra h , n u e Till , raging in impote t f ry, b fore the great Crag

e su h And, b aten to llen submission , come crouc ing

again at its feet . O U T 0 F D O 0 R S -0- 0 -0-0- 0-0-0

t sob of t Then , while the las the tempes swells faint i from the darken ng west , In billows all jade in the hollow and burnished to

gold on the crest , Up out of the seas of the Tropics the moon leads h er glittering host — The ranks of her silver'clad cohort s to fling them on once more the coast . half'sunken The ledges are covered , the shallows

are flooded and filled , Afar in the echoing caverns the deep organf murmurs are stilled ; Above th e heaped rocks of the shore line the foam s whitened breakers shall to s, Till over the wide was te of waters there rises naught

else but the Cross . ’ So sink man s achievements and triumphs beneath d of the gray floo the years, a of s t h e s So v nish the works his wi dom , chools and

the temples he rears , so So cease both his dream and his doing, perish his

purpose and thought , So pass all his pride and his power and all that his power hath wrought ; His tombs and his towers are shattered and buried

in slow drifting sand , ’ n of His colum s victory fallen , laid low by Time s

leveling hand , His cities are dust 'heaps and ruins in des erts d untro den and lone, f s Their splendor long lost and orgotten , their name and their places unknown He writes on a shore that already is wet with the

oncoming spray, ere swift flowin tides shall efface it and blot out his records or ay e ; He spendeth his life as a shadow and only its . i i s pass n sure , th rou s But g all the ages unchanging, the Cro s and

its glory endure . P age Tbirty-six D N A T U R E S 0 N G S o-o o- o- -o- o-o‘ o -o-

The R obin ’ s N ote

LITHE bird of the morning, that heralds the

dawn , How joyous the sound of his carolling free ; Ere the fir st gleam of silver has brightened th e east s He sings that the night and the darkne s shall flee , And a memory sweet and a prophecy sure Are mingled in one in that jubilant strain to Grief and gladness long past , grief and gladness come Till my heart swells in answer with ! oy and with

’ ’ Be cheery, my dearie , day s coming , night s gone ; n Far up in the treetop I welcome the daw . ’ of There s a nestful love and all heaven above ,

No clouds in the blue but the sun can shine through . So I sing all the day under bright skies or gray ; ’ h g for ; There s naught to be sad for and muc to be” lad

si . Be cheery, my dearie, keep nging alway

Dear singer of sunset , I hear him at eve , When still is the blackbird and silent the thrush ; For a bliss bubbles over within his full heart

Not even the coming of twilight can hush . He sings in the sunshine and sings in the rain With a faith in the future no stormcloud can dim ; ” a ks —h e m In all things give th n , obey s the co mand , F or him shadow and sun seem alike unto .

Be cheery, my dearie , look up and be glad be ! Though the weather be dreary, oh , never sad

Let it rain if it will ; though the wind may be chill , s Over gray skies are blue , and the sun will hine

’ So I sing just as clear when the day s dark and drear ; ’ There s much to be glad for and naught to be sad for m ” i . Be cheery, y dearie , keep s nging alway 0 U T O F D O O R S -0

The Song of Running Wate r

E song of running wat er : adown t h e moun ' tain side The brown brook hurries to its tryst like bridegroom to his bride ; I t tinkles t hrough the frosty night and babbles all

the day, And foams in wild impat ience at each hindrance by

the way, ’ Till at t h e wood s dusk entrance it checks its arrowy

To s s of of li t the ighing the pines , the vespers the thrush ; It glides between its mossy banks in ripples sweet

and cool ,

t o in k ' Or pauses for the trout leap shadowy, roc girt pool ; ” — — ! al Then , Follow follow follow it c ls with i laugh ng lure, n It sings the so g of liberty, untrammeled , joyous

pure .

The song of running water : the meadow st ream in tune With all the sounds of summer and the golden lights of June ;

It rests in clear, dark shallows beneath the dreaming

trees, ’ Still mirror for the drifting fleets of heaven s

argosies . It purls in mimic eddies around the larger stones And croons its lullaby of peace in lilting undertones ; ” ” ! ! Oh , hush Oh , hush it whispers to the trailing

grasses green , ’ And shy forget me nots that o er its lazy current lean ! Wh o wou ld not loiter with it along its winding ways s s It sings the ong of idlene s and long, bright, happy

days . - 4 P age Thirty eigbt h N A T U R E S O N G S -o-o -o-o -o -0 0-0 1 -

’ n The song of running water : the river s chanted hy m From canyon walls that soar aloft like vast cathedral

And where its leaping cataracts fling high their

Like some great organ ’ s solemn tones its rolling

thunders play . ’ The valleys robe themselves in beauty wheresoe er

And in its path the wilderness shall blossom as the

s Beside it hall the hungry a dwelling place prepare , And plant the vines and sow the fields and reap

Past cities filled with toilers and grimy factory slaves, W h of s it rush mighty waters, oft sweep of racing

‘ It turns the wheels of labor and bears t h e ships to

33 3 : so of us And sings the ng ind try, untiring , glad and

free .

or s But brook, tream , or river, whatever name it

bears, That song can soothe my restless moods and charm

away my cares . A nd oft when waking weariness would hold me far

from sleep ,

The memory of its melody has lulled to slumber deep . Yet n is its meaning all u known , its thought a mystery Though bird and wind and forest have each a word

The fields are friendly comrades, the sky a beckon

ing hand , But oh ! the murmuring wate r I cannot understand s to un I hu h my heart listen , I hear its ha ting strain , A voice from that lost Paradise we may not here O U T O F D 0 O R S -0

not k its I have not learned its language , I do now

speech , And dead to me the secrets of the wonders it would

teach . n Nor shall I ever comprehe d till , past all pain and

strife, I wake where from the throne of God springs out

the stream of life .

When all Eternity is ours and measured Time is ’

o er, n And finite in the I finite is merged for evermore , We shall not need its symbols and they shall cease to be ; We read as it is written : There shall be no more

storm' tosse d no No breakers , white with foam ,

deadly undertow, No e ver/ rest less waves in that fair land to which

’ No s shifting sands , no ebbing tide salt as our orrow s

tears,

No sunken rocks, no stranded ships through all the

deathless years .

i But st ll the river runneth , to greet me with its song, u s The m ic immemorial that I have loved so long . With sound of many waters the crystal flood shall flow s in And I hall find , that clear voice, all voices that

There shall the clue be given that eludes me here on earth ; h alf'art iculat e n f These murmurs, , of longi g, grie

n f The stra ge , wild , ba fling harmonies from meadow, n mou t and wood , i and Are blended there and reconciled , made pla n

O U T O F D O O R S -0

My Tre e s HEY do not st and in forest glade m e With oss and fern about their f et, t Instead , they cast their pleasan shade As warders of a village street ; N ot theirs the brooding silence deep to From dawn till dusk, from dark day, ’ w h e l They hear the house ife s c ery cal s,

The shouts of children at their play .

But sun and rain are kind to them ,

Their leaves dance with the dancing breeze . And through the changes of the years

I watch and love my neighbor trees .

I thrill with them when spring returns To rouse them from their peaceful dreams Wit h some elu sive message borne By softer airs or murmuring streams ; h u a s When t ro gh the slowly lengthening d y , of i All heedless the linger ng cold , The first impatient birds arrive

/ With wind blown feathers, blithe and bold ; They sing amid t h e reddening boughs for s And choose the sites future home ,

Serenely sure , through snow or sleet

i s . Or pelt ng rain , that summer come m s I joy with the in long , bright day ’ When leafy depths with life o erflow; The squirrels race from tree to tree And chatter madly as they go ; n Through sultry noo s and stifling nights , From t heir cool shade the locust shrills His oft repeated prophecies Of heat that blights and drought that kills ; On one long branch above my roof ’ ' The hang bird s cradle sways and swings, And u fled lin s when the h ngry g g wake, With raucous calls the morning rings !I I P age F ort y-t wo N A T U R E S O N G S o-o-om o- o- m-o-o-

Then , fluttering down from stair to stair , a and x With m ny a slip an ious cry , and u All spotted breasts st mpy tails ,

The baby robins learn to fly . I rest with them when aut umn frosts Have changed their sober green array n To gorgeous garme ts , bright as brief,

That fade and fall from day to day,

Revealing , through a thinning veil , ri t Mute memo es of summer pas , n The small forsaken homes of so g, ’ Frail playthings for the winter s blast ;

And when the early darkness comes , elfin The moonbeams weave, with grace , Across the looms of leafless twigs

f l c Their magic mesh of sh adow a e .

’ I hope with them neath wintry skies, Nor do I feel t hem sad or chill ; Austere but beautiful they stand And read to me a lesson still ; They patient bide the waiting ' time

Of glory gone and beauty lost , Assured that not a leaf shall fall not be s And a bough by storm to sed , ’ Save but as part of God s great plan t For them and me and all the ear h , And that a richer, fuller life Shall follow on this seeming dearth

One tells me of the mountain slopes, ’ one And of ocean s myriad moods, And one of some fair mirror' lake Enshrined in woodland solitudes ; My feet may never wander far u o s To seek s ch varied j ys as the e, But k t pent , li e them , in village s reet , t —I I am conten have my trees. 0 U T O F D 0 O R S -0 The Winte r Bird s

’ autumn s flaming torch has se t i and t The h lls vales aligh , d clans

To take their southward flight . oldfinch k t The g from the thic e flees ,

The swallow from the eaves, His bower in the lilac bush

The slim gray cat bird leaves .

' F rom meadow s e gra s , from forest tr e , G o bobolink and thrush , And over fields and streams and woods

There falls a sudden hush . From all t heir summer haunts and homes The Singing Tribes are gone ; on Oh, blessings the winter birds That bravely linger on ! fl The icker shouts across the fields , The cheery chickadee s Hobnob with all the sparrow folk , Those birds of low degree ; t The nu hatch makes his daily round , m on And ham ers the bark, one to Head up , head down , all him ,

With many a loud remark .

I grant they are not musical , s They ing no tuneful lays, oh w But , they give a ondrous charm

To dull and gloomy days . They break the deathlike calm that broods ’ w Above the earth s hite shroud , They twitter in the leafless trees Beneath the rainy cloud ; c They drift before the oming storm , i Half hid in fall ng snow, Like little ghosts of autumn leaves

' Wind driven to and fro . N A T U R E S 0 N G S

4 -4 0 -0 -0 -

ns When come the slow , dark winter mor . m I hear them at y door, ’ n r s I bey chirp their tha ks for scatte ed crumb ,

And boldly beg for more .

’ n I love the robin s mati hymn, ’ The blackbird s whistle clear, The vesper sparrow ’ s dulcet call

When night is drawing near , ’ ' The yellow bird s persistent chant , ’ The phoebe s plaintive song ; cl But ear, as well , the simple notes

That cheer the winter long . ’ And bright the robin s breast of red On some bleak day in spring , ’ And gay the oriole s flaming coat , ’ The bluebird s azure wing ; But fair to me the winter birds

In somber brown and gray, The little brave and sturdy souls

Who do not go away . Christmas R oses OLD and frost and storm wind under a

leaden sky, Surely beneath it all tender things and sweet must die ; 10! ' r h But at our feet from the ice bound ea t , s flu hing with rosy glow, s u Sp ring up the Christmas ro es , blossoming nder the

’ Pain and hardship and trial and the stricken heart s

Surely the spirit of man must fail and his soul be overthrown ; and Nay, for courage patience and sweetness endure

and grow, s n a e os th e Blo soming i to be uty, lik the r es under

snow . O U T 0 F D O O R S t- 0 -0-0-0

From Forest to Fe nd e r OG that burns to ashes gray

m tof da In y fireplace y , ou Could you speak, what would y say Of the years long passed away!

Had you tongue, would you be telling Of your ancient greenwood dwelling ; ’ Of your boughs exultant swelling

When the swift sap , hurrying on , Told of Winter’ s numbness gone! s How March winds, like trumpet blowing , m t wi Stirred the larch plu es in o gro ng , Roused the chestnuts ’ snowy splendor And the birch r t re e tassels slender!

How the flowers, frail and tender,

Frightened at the stormy sound , St ayed safe hidden under ground T ill , like fairy fingers strumming , ’ i April s ra ndrops, lightly drumming , Sounded the reveille gay F or the blossoms of the May

— -V Snowdrop , Crocus , iolet, Ar e you wrapped in slumbe r yet!

Wake up , Daisy, Earth is waiting, Bluebirds in the trees are mating : Windflower Listen , , shy and sweet ,

Breezes pass with flying feet ,

Beckoning , calling, blithe and gay, ’ ’ Little comrade , come and play . u Dandelion , please come p / u Meadow sweet , and Butterc p , Bright as newly / mint e d money ; Bees are calling for their honey ;

‘ You must hurry, Spring is here

' And th e ground looks bare and dr s Till you show your cheery face , Fill with light the gloomy places ! N A T U R E S O N G S 0

Did you see, down at your feet , Pink and white arbutus sweet! f o Watch the ferns do f woolly h ods, As the sun crept through the woods! See Jack in his pulpit preach ing ’ Lessons of the Sp ringr time s t eaching! ou ! When the birds came, did y know

Did you bend your branches low,

Sheltering every downy brood , Lending to the motherhood In that tiny bunch of feathers Your protection in all weathers!

ou r Did y love the Summe time, When the year was in its prime! When your rugged trunk was rife With its myriad insect life ;

Where the ants ran up and down, And the cat erpillar bro Took his toilsome way and slow From the barren ground below ; Where the butterflies were born

On some bright and sunny morn , Leaving but an empty shell Of their burial to tell! Did you hear the brown brook’ s song o n S unding blithely all day lo g , As it plu nged“ from sunlit mea dow Into your green gloom and shadow Hushing its gay babble there ! To a softer, drowsier air See the cardinal/ flowers stand

On its banks , a gallant band , Each with flaming torch in hand! Listen to the squirrels’ chatter Over some important matter! — r ! Spy the Bee sad , gossip rove ’ Whisp ring secrets to the clover! n Watch the light wind , run ing over, s e Sway the gras , wh re, safely hid , O U T O F D O O R S -0

Cricket gay and katydid ,

Elfin minstrels , mad with glee , Filled the air with melody!

Did you sigh when Autumn came, aflame Setting sumacs all , Putting goldenrod in ranks

d s Marching down the roa side bank . Opening starry aster faces ’ In the meadows vacant spaces ; Launching all the silky down ’ From the milkweed s pods of brown

On the currents of the breeze , Sails all set for unknown seas!

do And then , you still remember H ow your leaves fell in November! And what story you were tracing s In the cro sing and embracing , Warp and woof and interlacing

Of the tiny twigs on high, on Outlined the sapphire sky, n Etched upon the falling s ow, \Vhite above and black below Or n e at su s t , dark and bold, Set against the flame and gold Like a spectral ship whose sails o s L ng since vanished in the gale , Leaving masts and cordage bare!

This the lesson written there a -in air So I f ncy the . u Every day and every ho r,

Ripening berry, opening flower,

Adds some beauty, gives some glory, Spells some new word in the story Nature ever is inditing

F or the eyes that read her writing . ’ h fall n aves are , but branches left Cannot be of charm bereft ; ’ of Grace form , when color s gone ,

O U T O F D O 0 R S -0 -(N C O-0-0

’ N ature s Shut-I ns

” ’ ERNS are the sh ut / ins of God s flower

kingdom , Hidden in mossy dells and cool retreats ;

lace f lik e Their fronds uncurl in fresh , green beauty

Far from the busy world and dusty streets .

o They bear no gorgeous flowers of gold or crims n, No dainty blooms of blue or pearly white ; x a n Their graceful leaves e h le no stro g, sweet odor, ur Their very seeds are hidden from o sight .

s And yet , sometimes, to eyes that tire of brightnes , s To sen es sated with a rich perfume , How grateful is the cool green of the fern' leaves

Set in the silence of some shaded room .

Can we not learn from them some blessed lesson , ! We, who , like them, are growing in the shade

Their lovely freshness is a constant beauty,

Dewy and sweet when summer blossoms fade . l When others come, who , dwel ing in the sunshine, ' of Have grown a weary the toil and strife , Can we not share wit h them our calm and quiet Show them the beauty of a hidden life!

May we not give to them some tender message, of Some the garnered peace we hold in store, n Some of the so gs He giveth in the midnight , When sleep fli es from us and the pain is sore!

’ in t They walk with hurry g s eps Life s busy highway, t h e s Often still , mall voice they cannot hear ; But we can listen in the restful stillness

I t s words of faith and hope and gladsome cheer .

’ in our l o u We dwell safety in rd s green past res, Ou r sou ls at rest the quiet waters by ; be not doin Willing to since we may be g,

Living epistles , Open to the eye . N A T U R E S O N G S -0

Our frail lives hidden in His strength eternal , ’ h Guarded and shielded from the tempest s s ock, — The wild winds pass us by they cannot harm us Where we are sheltered by our Fortress Rock .

Sometimes, perhaps, the ferns may long to blossom, ’ Even as we to see our work s reward , t Impatient of the s illness and the shadow ,

Envy the roses on the sunny sward . ” sa t h e s Foolish ! we y , du t and heat would kill

them ,

That sweet, cool shadow is their very life . ’ Yes — a ri and , God knows, perh ps our spi ts beauty, ’

Might , like them , wither in the great world s

strife .

So He doth keep us , set apart in shadow, ’ Far from the lovely gardens sunny sod ; wh And y He does it we shall know hereafter. ” ” ” ”

God . Be still , He says, I am thy loving

Can we not tru st ou r loving heavenly Father

To do the very best that can be done , t n Though one be plan ed in the glowi g sunlight , — Set in the silence and the shadow o ne !

e t Be we content to say our word in s cre , C our ontent to wear garb of sober green , s And , while the world is prai ing other workers,

Our tiny seeds cast out, though all unseen .

ma We y not show our love and zeal by labor, a t Our h nds are folded , though they tire of res t t u ru n s Fe tered the fee that fain wo ld His errand , n t a d t t . Willing swif . But yet , He knowe h bes

our Just the conditions which will suit growing, Just the environment we best may stand ; For t h e green ferns the cool depths Of the forest ” f r And o our shade the shadow of His Hand . The R oyal Chambe r

HEN , long ago, some prince made royal progress

His father s couriers before him sped , T ’ hat he might find , where er he paused for resting , A chamber furnished and a banquet spread ; s th e With priceless tapestrie walls were covered ,

With softest carpets all the floors were laid , whit e ' robe d ' n nt And choir boys, swingi g fragra

censers, Along his path t heir sweetest music made ;

All lovely harmonies of sound and color,

That could the ear entrance , the eye delight, n Were made to deck the place of his sojourni g,

Though he should tarry but a day and night .

SO we , the children of a royal Father, our Find in journeyings a table spread , of For us the splendor the grass and flowers,

A carpet fair for pilgrim feet to tread , For us with tapestries of green and scarlet The forest aisles and mountain walls are hung ; For us the music of the winds and waters And hymns celestial by the wild birds sung ; For us the glory of the arching heavens, Spangled with stars or flushed with rosy light ;

So hath He decked the place of our sojourning ,

Though we shall tarry bu t a day and night .

e F t -t wo ! 21 P ag if y B. N A T U R E S 0 N G S -0

Wh en the Bird s Build

EAR the chorus that the birds are singing ; k ! Oh , the s ies are blue From the Sunny South their flight now wing , mg; Oh ! , the skies are blue u To begin again their happy, happy q esting Till they find a place that suits them for their nesting ; ’ Elm/ t ree t l n , ches nut , maple , there s no tel i g ! Oh , the skies are blue ’ Where they ll choose to build their airy dwelling ! Oh, the skies are blue App le f t rees are white and pink and growing pinker E n ' ri very ho ey bee has turned a d nker, u ! Oh , the skies are bl e

B —a u ! lackbird , oriole, sa cy fellow ! Oh, the skies are blue I n his dashing suit of black and yellow s u ! Oh , the kies are bl e Wren and swallow and the crimson' breast e d robin ‘ ’ Wn a f flut t e r and a 'bobbin i gs their little heads , t t S icks and s raw from every corner looting, s ! Oh , the kies are blue n flutin Se d from tree to tree their cheery g, ! Oh, the skies are blue

Every throat , from bobolink to tiny linnet , Bubbling over with the music in it ; t h e ! Oh , skies are blue O U T O F D O O R S

The G ray D ays of N ov e mbe r HE gray days of November No plaint from me shall win ; s and I hut the fog mist all out , And shu t the fire / shine in ; I draw my chair the closer To where its warm glow cheers , And fire li ht , dreaming in the g ,

Dream back across the years .

No happier days, no better,

My lost youth gave to me , Wit h flowers in every meadow And songs from every tree ; That was the time of growing ; This is the time of rest ; bu t Bloom falls, fruiting follows,

And each in turn is best .

God giveth of His glory An ever ' changing view ; Th e old things pass forever ; He maketh all things new ; Life knoweth here no beauty That shall not fade away ; S s n ome better things He e deth ,

And these are mine to day .

Mine is the riper wisdom That comes with graying hair ; Mine is the fuller knowledge ’ Of God s great love and care ; Mine is the clearer vision ; Mine is the wider view And mine the hoarded memories

Of friendships kind and true . N A T U R E S O N G S 0-0 -0- -0-0-0 -0-0

Mine is a steadier patience To bear the ills of life ; Mine is a sturdier courage To meet the daily strife ; Mine is a faith serener Than ever youth could know To walk the way appointed

Through sunshine or through snow .

The gray days lead to white days

Of peace and silence deep , A stiller hush Of resting When Earth and I shall sleep — And then a glorious waking

When broken ties all mend . Through gray days of November ’ I wait the long year s end . The Unbought G ood

HAT would our land be worth to us,

The land we sell and buy, t and our And fence abou , call own , ’ Without God s open sky ’ t and To hold the sunse s rose gold , The white clouds floating high! What would our fields bring forth for us

Without the gifts He sends , Without t he sunshine and the rain n On which our bread depe ds , His wat er/ brooks little to flow , His birds to be our friends!

u sk Oh, as the land witho t the y

That ever bends above , So barren and so desolate Our lives without His love ; The blessings that no gold can buy

Our greatest riches prove . 0 (1 T O F D O O R S

’ The Riv e r s L ullaby

HEN the evening shadows chase away t h e

And the golden sunbeams fade be fore the t nigh ,

Flows a quiet river, broad and calm and free ; n ! Hear it softly si ging, Come oh , come with me, t h e e To Sle py Harbor, far and far away,

Where , when day is over, all the children stay ; There a lovely country waits thy loitering feet ’ ’ the Tis Baby s Dreamland , fair and bright and ” sweet ! ru l Sway the tangled shes, float the silver ilies , ’ Bend the trailing willows o er the rippling stream ; ’ s i Listen , baby, li ten to the river s s nging

Let its music mingle with thy peaceful dream .

Gently will the river bear thee on its breast ; n th e Stars will light my darli g to— land of rest , Short and safe the journey, sleep , and that is all ; ” ” n Haste , baby, hasten , hear the river call ;

Fairies wait thy coming , lovely tales to tell , ’ And the flower bells chiming on the wind will swell ;

Green are all the meadows for thy tiny feet , ” And above thee watches an angel fair and sweet . r si Sway the tangled ushes , float the lver lilies. ’ Bend the trailing willows o er the rippling stream ’ n n n Liste , baby , listen to the river s si gi g

Let its music mingle with thy peaceful dream .