(Designed for the use of her daughter and niece when very young)
LUCIA.
Come, my Delia, by this spring
Nature's bounties let us sing,
While the popler's silver shade
O'er our lambkins is display'd.
DELIA.
See how she has deck'd the ground
Op'ning flow'rets blush around...
Should you but fail at — Sea —
In sight of me —
Or doomed lie —
Next Sun — to die —
Or rap — at Paradise — unheard
I'd harass God
Until he let you in!
It was over at Coolgardie that a mining speculator,
Who was going down the township just to make a bit o' chink,
Went off to hire a camel from a camel propagator,
And the Afghan said he'd lend it if he'd stand the beast a drink.
Yes, the only price he asked him was to stand the beast a drink.
He was cheap, very...
"Sic transit gloria mundi,"
"How doth the busy bee,"
"Dum vivimus vivamus,"
I stay mine enemy! —
Oh "veni, vidi, vici!"
Oh caput cap-a-pie!
And oh "memento mori"
When I am far from thee!
Hurrah for Peter Parley!
Hurrrah for Daniel Boone!
Three...
Poor Muse, alas, what ails thee, then, to-day?
Thy hollow eyes with midnight visions burn,
Upon thy brow in alternation play,
Folly and Horror, cold and taciturn.
Have the green lemure and the goblin red,
Poured on thee love and terror from their urn?
Or...
Silence is all we dread.
There's Ransom in a Voice —
But Silence is Infinity.
Himself have not a face.
* * *
Silent, Silent Night
Quench the holy light
Of thy torches bright.
For possess'd of Day
Thousand spirits stray
That sweet joys betray.
Why should joys be sweet
Used with deceit
Nor with sorrows meet?
But an honest...
AUT ubi cecropius formidine nubis aquosae
Sparsa super flores examina tollit Hymettos;
Ad dulces ceras et odori corticis antra,
Mellis apes gravidae properant, densoque volatu
Raucum connexae glomerant ad limina murmur.
OR when th' Hymettian shepherd, struck with fear
Of wat'...