THE POEMS OF HENRY VAN DYKE NOW FIRST COLLECTED AND REVISED WITH MANY HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER S SONS MCMXI Copyright, 1911, by Charles Scribner s Sons Published September, 1011 A " A WORD IN PROSE TO MY GENTLE READER Tins book is intended only for you, because you alone will keep it with you long enough to feel its meaning. Plere is gathered and set in order all that I have been per mitted to write, as yet, of the poetry that has come to me. I hoped once that it would be more, and feared often that it might be less. The long silent interval between the earlier and the later poems was filled with hard work at the call of duty. I have laboured in the vineyard and fought in the ranks. The youthful plan of a whole life devoted to the art of poetry has not been fulfilled. Instead has come an experience of the power of poetry to cheer and illumine the whole of life. Metre and rhyme have a deep relation to the rhythm of human emotion, of which I grow more sure the less I can explain it. Some call them a bondage, but the natural harmony of such laws makes for true freedom. Therefore, while using the older metri cal forms with love and care, I have also adventured new ones, believing that English poesy has to win a larger liberty in those happy regions which lie between the formal and the formless. What I have seen and felt and dreamed beyond the horizon of prose, yet ever in the most real world, is here interpreted in verse. And if it speaks to you, gentle reader, it is yours as much as mine. HENRY VAN DYKE. 255531 CONTENTS SONGS OUT OF DOORS PAGE WHEN TULIPS BLOOM .............. 3 THE ANGLER S REVEILLE ............. THE WHIP-POOR-WILL .............. IO THE SONG-SPARROW ............... J 3 THE RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET ........... I B THE MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT .......... J 9 THE HERMIT-THRUSH .............. 2I /5O THE VEERY ........... DULCIORA ........... MATINS ................... 24 A NOON SONG ................. 2 5 THE AFTER-ECHO ................ 2 7 WINGS OF A DOVE ............... 29 IF ALL THE SKIES ............... 3 SCHOOL ................... 3 1 THE PARTING AND THE COMING GUEST ........ 3 2 SPRING IN THE NORTH 34 8 SPRING IN THE SOUTH 3 THE FALL OF THE LEAVES 4 INDIAN SUMMER 42 A NOVEMBER DAISY 43 A SNOW-SONG 4$ ALPINE SONNETS 4 ROSLIN AND HAWTHORNDEN 49 vii viii CONTENTS PACE LIGHT BETWEEN THE TREES 50 THE LILY OF YORROW 53 ODE GOD OF THE OPEN AIR 55 STORIES IN VERSE THE TOILING OF FELIX 67 VERA 82 ANOTHER CHANCE IO2 A LEGEND OF SERVICE . I O6 THE WHITE BEES Ill NEW YEAR S EVE 119 THE VAIN KING 125 THE FOOLISH FIR-TREE 13! PRO PATRIA PATRIA 139 AMERICA 140 THE ANCESTRAL DWELLINGS 141 HUDSON S LAST VOYAGE 144 SEA-GULLS OF MANHATTAN 152 A BALLAD OF CLAREMONT HILL 154 URBS CORONATA 157 MERCY FOR ARMENIA 159 SICILY, DECEMBER, 1908 . l6l JEANNE D ARC 162 NATIONAL MONUMENTS 164 THE MONUMENT OF FRANCIS MAKEMIE ........ 165 THE STATUE OF SHERMAN BY ST. GAUDENS 1 66 "AMERICA FOR ME" 167 THE BUILDERS 169 SPIRIT OF THE EVERLASTING BOY 183 WHO FOLLOW THE FLAG Ipl CONTENTS ix IN PRAISE OF POETS PAGE MOTHER EARTH 2O5 MILTON 207 WORDSWORTH 2IO KEATS 211 SHELLEY 212 ROBERT BROWNING 213 TENNYSON 214 "IN MEMORIAM" 215 VICTOR HUGO 2l6 LONGFELLOW 2I THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH 223 EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN 225 TO JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY 227 RICHARD WATSON GILDER 228 MUSIC MUSIC 231 MASTER OF MUSIC 246 TO A YOUNG GIRL SINGING 248 THE PIPES O PAN 249 THE OLD FLUTE 250 LYRICS OF LABOUR AND ROMANCE A MILE WITH ME 255 /THE THREE BEST THINGS 256 RELIANCE 259 DOORS OF DARING 260 A HOME SONG 261 THE CHILD IN THE GARDEN . 262 x CONTENTS PAGE LOVE S REASON 263 PORTRAIT AND REALITY 264 THE ECHO IN THE HEART 265 "UNDINE" 266 "RENCONTRE" 267 LOVE IN A LOOK 268 MY APRIL LADY 269 A LOVER S ENVY 271 FIRE -FLY CITY 272 THE GENTLE TRAVELLER 273 NEPENTHE . 274 DAY AND NIGHT 276 HESPER 277 ARRIVAL 278 DEPARTURE 279 THE BLACK BIRDS 280 WITHOUT DISGUISE 284 AN HOUR 285 -"liAPPELLE-TOl" 286 EIGHT ECHOES FROM THE POEMS OF AUGUSTS ANGELLIER . 288 LOVE S NEARNESS 298 TWO SONGS OF HEINE 299 THE RIVER OF DREAMS 300 SONGS OF HEARTH AND ALTAR "LITTLE BOATIE" 307 A MOTHER S BIRTHDAY 309 SANTA CHRISTINA 311 RENDEZVOUS 314 GRATITUDE 315 TRANSFORMATION 316 THE WIND OF SORROW 317 CONTENTS xi PAGE HIDE AND SEEK 318 AUTUMN IN THE GARDEN ... 320 THE MESSAGE 322 DULCIS MEMORIA 323 THE WINDOW 325 PEACE 327 THE BARGAIN 328 BITTER-SWEET 329 TO THE CHILD JESUS 330 SONG OF A PILGRIM SOUL 331 HYMN OF JOY 332 ODE TO PEACE 334 INSCRIPTIONS, GREETINGS, AND EPIGRAMS FOR KATRINA S SUN-DIAL 341 FOR KATRINA S WINDOW 342 FOR THE FRIENDS AT HURSTMONT 343 THE SUN-DIAL AT MORVEN 344 THE SUN-DIAL AT WELLS COLLEGE 345 TO MARK TWAIN 346 STARS AND THE SOUL 348 TO JULIA MARLOWE 349 TO JOSEPH JEFFERSON 35O THE MOCKING-BIRD 351 THE EMPTY QUATRAIN 351 PAN LEARNS MUSIC 351 THE VALLEY OF VAIN VERSES 352 THE SHEPHERD OF NYMPHS 353 ECHOES FROM THE GREEK ANTHOLOGY . 354 ONE WORLD 357 JOY AND DUTY 357 THE PRISON AND THE ANGEL 358 xii CONTENTS PAGE THE WAY .... 358 LOVE AND LIGHT 359 THE ARROW 359 FOUR THINGS 360 THE GREAT RIVER 360 WAYFARING PSALMS THE DISTANT ROAD 363 THE WELCOME TENT 365 THE GREAT CITIES 367 THE FRIENDLY TREES . 369 THE BROKEN SWORD 371 THE UNSEEN ALTAR 372 THE PATHWAY OF RIVERS 374 THE GLORY OF RUINS 376 THE TRIBE OF THE HELPERS 377 THE GOOD TEACHER 378 THE CAMP-FIRES OF MY FRIEND 379 THE HOUSE OF RIMMON 381 INDEX OF FIRST LINES ... 461 SONGS OUT OF DOORS WHEN TULIPS BLOOM WHEN tulips bloom in Union Square, And timid breaths of vernal air Go wandering down the dusty town, Like children lost in Vanity Fair; When every long, unlovely row Of westward houses stands aglow, And leads the eyes to sunset skies Beyond the hills where green trees grow; Then weary seems the street parade, And weary books, and weary trade: I m only wishing to go a-fishing; For this the month of May was made. II I guess the pussy-willows now Are creeping out on every bough Along the brook; and robins look For early worms behind the plough. 3 SONGS OUT OF DOORS The thistle-birds have changed their dun, For yellow coats, to match the sun; And in the same array of flame The Dandelion Show s begun. The flocks of young anemones Are dancing round the budding trees: Who can help wishing to go a-fishing In days as full of joy as these ? Ill I think the meadow-lark s clear sound Leaks upward slowly from the ground, While on the wing the bluebirds ring Their wedding-bells to woods around. The flirting chewink calls his dear Behind the bush; and very near, Where water flows, where green grass grows Song-sparrows gently sing, "Good cheer." And, best of all, through twilight s calm The hermit-thrush repeats his psalm. How much I m wishing to go a-fishing In days so sweet with music s balm! WHEN TULIPS BLOOM IV Tis not a proud desire of mine; I ask for nothing superfine; No heavy weight, no salmon great, To break the record, or my line. Only an idle little stream, Whose amber waters softly gleam, Where I may wade, through woodland shade, And cast the fly, and loaf, and dream: Only a trout or two, to dart From foaming pools, and try my art: Tis all I m wishing old-fashioned fishing, And just a day on Nature s heart. 1894. SONGS OUT OF DOORS THE ANGLER S REVEILLE WHAT time the rose of dawn is laid across the lips of night, And all the little watchman-stars have fallen asleep in light, Tis then a merry wind awakes, and runs from tree to tree, And borrows words from all the birds to sound the reveille. This is the carol the Robin throws Over the edge of the valley; Listen how boldly it flows, Sally on sally: Tirra-lirra, Early morn, New born! Day is near, Clear, dear. Down the river All a-quiver, Fish are breaking; Time for waking. Tup, tup, tup! Do you hear? All clear- Wake up! THE ANGLER S REVEILLE 7 The phantom flood of dreams has ebbed and vanished with the dark, And like a dove the heart forsakes the prison of the ark; Now forth she fares thro friendly woods and diamond-fields of dew, " While every voice cries out Rejoice!" as if the world were new. This is the ballad the Bluebird sings, Unto his mate replying, Shaking the tune from his wings While he is flying: Surely, surely, surely, Life is dear Even here. Blue above, You to love, Purely, purely, purely. There s wild azalea on the hill, and iris down the dell, And just one spray of lilac still abloom beside the well; The columbine adorns the rocks, the laurel buds grow pink, Along the stream white arums gleam, and violets bend to drink. This is the song of the Yellowthroat, Fluttering gaily beside you; 8 SONGS OUT OF DOORS Hear how each voluble note Offers to guide you: Which way, sir? I say, sir, Let me teach you, I beseech you! Are you wishing Jolly fishing? This way, sir! Pll teach you.