Embers Part 10

Heart of the World break forth, Tongues of the World proclaim!

There cometh a voice from out the North And a face of living flame-- A man's soul crying, Behold what worth Was life till her sweet soul came-- Heart of the World break forth!

Heart of the World be strong, Tongues of the World be wise!

The White North glows with a morning song Or ever the red sun dies; For Love is summer and Love is long, And the good G.o.d 's in his skies-- Heart of the World be strong!

EPITAPHS

THE BEGGAR

Poor as a sparrow was I, But I was saved like a king; I heard the death-bells ring, Yet I saw a light in the sky: And now to my Father I wing.

THE MAID

A little while I saw the world go by-- A little doorway that I called my own, A loaf, a cup of water, and a bed had I, A shrine of Jesus, where I knelt alone And now, alone, I bid the world good-bye.

THE FOOL I was a fool; nothing had I to know Of men, and naught to men had I to give.

G.o.d gave me nothing; now to G.o.d I go, Now ask for pain, for bread, Life for my brain: dead, By G.o.d's love I shall then begin to live.

THE FIGHTER Blows I have struck, and blows a-many taken, Wrestling I've fallen, and I've rose up again; Mostly I've stood-- I've had good bone and blood; Others went down though fighting might and main.

Now Death steps in, Death the price of sin: The fall it will be his; and though I strive and strain, One blow will close my eyes, and I shall never waken.

THE SEA-REAPERS

When the Four Winds, the Wrestlers, strive with the Sun, When the Sun is slain in the dark; When the stars burn out, and the night cries To the blind sea-reapers, and they rise, And the water-ways are stark-- G.o.d save us when the reapers reap!

When the ships sweep in with the tide to the sh.o.r.e, And the little white boats return no more; When the reapers reap, Lord, give Thy sailors sleep, If Thou cast us not upon the sh.o.r.e, To bless Thee evermore To walk in Thy sight as heretofore, Though the way of the Lord be steep!

By Thy grace, Show Thy face, Lord of the land and the deep!

THE WATCHER

As the wave to the sh.o.r.e, as the dew to the leaf, As the breeze to the flower, As the scent of a rose to the heart of a child, As the rain to the dusty land-- My heart goeth out unto Thee--unto Thee!

The night is far spent and the day is at hand.

As the song of a bird to the call of a star, As the sun to the eye, As the anvil of man to the hammers of G.o.d, As the snow to the earth-- Is my word unto Thy word--to Thy word!

The night is far spent and the day is at hand

THE WAKING

To be young is to dream, and I dreamed no more; I had smothered my heart as the fighter can: I toiled, and I looked not behind or before-- I was stone; but I waked with the heart of a man.

By the soul at her lips, by the light of her eyes, I dreamed a new dream as the sleeper can, That the heavenly folly of youth was wise-- I was stone; but I waked with the heart of a man.

She came like a song, she will go like a star: I shall tread the hills as the hunter can, Mine eyes to the hunt, and my soul afar-- I was stone; but I waked with the heart of a man.

WHEN ONE FORGETS

When one forgets, the old things are as dead things; The grey leaves fall, and eyes that saw their May Turn from them now, and voices that have said things Wherein Life joyed, alas! are still to-day-- When one forgets.

The world was n.o.ble, now its sordid cas.e.m.e.nt Glows but with garish folly, and the plains Of rich achievement lie in mean abas.e.m.e.nt-- Ah, Hope is only midwife to our pains!

When one forgets, but maimed rites come after: To mourn, be priest, be s.e.xton, bear the pall, Remembrance-robed, the while a distant laughter Proclaims Love's ghost--what wonder skies should fall, When one forgets!

ALOES AND MYRRH