Sins

A LIE it may be black or white;
I care not for the lie:
My grief is for the tortured breath
Of Truth that cannot die.

And cruelty, what that may be,
What creature understands?
But O, the glazing eyes of Love,
Stabbed through the open hands!

Folk Tune

Other lads, their ways are daring:
Other lads, they're not afraid;
Other lads, they show they're caring;
Other lads—they know a maid.
Wiser Jock than ever you were,
Will's with gayer spirit blest,
Robin's kindlier and truer,—
Why should I love you the best?

Other lads, their eyes are bolder.
Young they are, and strong and slim,
Ned is straight and broad of shoulder,
Donald has a way with him.
David stands a head above you,
Dick's as brave as Lancelot,—
Why, ah why, then, should I love you?

Jesus calls us! O'er the tumult

Jesus calls us! O'er the tumult
Of our life's wild restless sea
Day by day his sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, ‘Christian, follow me’:

As of old Saint Andrew heard it
By the Galilean lake,
Turned from home, and toil, and kindred,
Leaving all for his dear sake.

Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world's golden stores
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, ‘Christian, love me more.’

In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still he calls, in cares and pleasures,

Destiny

Why each is striving, from of old,
To love more deeply than he can?
Still would be true, yet still grows cold?
—Ask of the Powers that sport with man!

They yok'd in him, for endless strife,
A heart of ice, a soul of fire;
And hurl'd him on the Field of Life,
An aimless unallay'd Desire.

Delight

YOU butterfly!
You singing bird!
You dainty sweet
Sweet woman with the dancing feet!
At sight of you, I know not why,
Strange wistful memories are stirred
In my soul's depths, when you flash by.
I love you at each swift heart beat,
Yet sit and never say a word,
So many thoughts thrill thus unheard.

O! little throat,
So slim and white!
Dear voice as deep
Restful and wonderful as sleep…
Our whole souls ache at each full note,
Fall faint with rapture, swoon to flight

The Elixir

“Oh brew me a potion strong and good!
One golden drop in his wine
Shall charm his sense and fire his blood,
And bend his will to mine.”

Poor child of passion! ask of me
Elixir of death or sleep,
Or Lethe's stream; but love is free,
And woman must wait and weep.

Night

Stars over snow,
And in the west a planet
Swinging low below a star——
Look for a lovely thing and you will find it,
It is not far——
It will never be far.

Sonnet: Of Love in Men and Devils

The man who feels not, more or less, somewhat
Of love in all the years his life goes round
Should be denied a grave in holy ground
Except with usurers who will bate no groat;
Nor he himself should count himself a jot
Less wretched than the meanest beggar found.
Also the man who in Love's robe is gown'd
May say that Fortune smiles upon his lot.
Seeing how love has such nobility
That if it entered in the lord of Hell
'Twould rule him more than his fire's ancient sting;
He should be glorified to eternity,

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