Green Fields and Running Brooks, and Other Poems Part 15

As a harvester, at dusk, Faring down some woody trail Leading homeward through the musk Of may-apple and pawpaw, Hazel-bush, and spice and haw,-- So comes Autumn, swart and hale, Drooped of frame and slow of stride.

But withal an air of pride Looming up in stature far Higher than his shoulders are; Weary both in arm and limb, Yet the wholesome heart of him Sheer at rest and satisfied.

Greet him as with glee of drums And glad cymbals, as he comes!

Robe him fair, O Rain and Shine.

He the Emperor--the King-- Royal lord of everything Sagging Plenty's granary floors And out-bulging all her doors; He the G.o.d of corn and wine, Honey, milk, and fruit and oil-- Lord of feast, as lord of toil-- Jocund host of yours and mine!

Ho! the revel of his laugh!-- Half is sound of winds, and half Roar of ruddy blazes drawn Up the throats of chimneys wide, Circling which, from side to side, Faces--lit as by the Dawn, With her highest tintings on Tip of nose, and cheek, and chin-- Smile at some old fairy-tale Of enchanted lovers, in Silken gown and coat of mail, With a retinue of elves Merry as their very selves, Trooping ever, hand in hand, Down the dales of Wonderland.

Then the glory of his song!-- Lifting up his dreamy eyes-- Singing haze across the skies; Singing clouds that trail along Towering tops of trees that seize Tufts of them to stanch the breeze; Singing slanted strands of rain In between the sky and earth, For the lyre to mate the mirth And the might of his refrain: Singing southward-flying birds Down to us, and afterwards Singing them to flight again; Singing blushes to the cheeks Of the leaves upon the trees-- Singing on and changing these Into pallor, slowly wrought, Till the little, moaning creeks Bear them to their last farewell, As Elaine, the lovable, Was borne down to Lancelot.-- Singing drip of tears, and then Drying them with smiles again.

Singing apple, peach and grape, Into roundest, plumpest shape, Rosy ripeness to the face Of the pippin; and the grace Of the dainty stamin-tip To the huge bulk of the pear, Pendant in the green caress Of the leaves, and glowing through With the tawny laziness Of the gold that Ophir knew,-- Haply, too, within its rind Such a cleft as bees may find, Bungling on it half aware.

And wherein to see them sip Fancy lifts an oozy lip, And the singer's falter there.

Sweet as swallows swimming through Eddyings of dusk and dew, Singing happy scenes of home Back to sight of eager eyes That have longed for them to come, Till their coming is surprise Uttered only by the rush Of quick tears and prayerful hush; Singing on, in clearer key, Hearty palms of you and me Into grasps that tingle still Rapturous, and ever will!

Singing tw.a.n.k and tw.a.n.g of strings-- Trill of flute and clarinet In a melody that rings Like the tunes we used to play, And our dreams are playing yet!

Singing lovers, long astray, Each to each, and, sweeter things-- Singing in their marriage-day, And a banquet holding all These delights for festival.

THE TWINS.

One 's the pictur' of his Pa, And the _other_ of her Ma-- Jes the bossest pair o' babies 'at a mortal ever saw!

And we love 'em as the bees Loves the blossoms of the trees, A-ridin' and a-rompin' in the breeze!

One's got her Mammy's eyes-- Soft and blue as Apurl-skies-- With the same sort of a smile, like--Yes, and mouth about her size,-- Dimples, too, in cheek and chin, 'At my lips jes _wallers_ in, A-goin' to work, er gittin' home agin.

And the _other_--Well, they say That he's got his Daddy's way O' bein' ruther soberfied, er ruther extry gay,-- That he either cries his best, Er he laughs his howlin'est-- Like all he lacked was b.u.t.tons and a vest!

Look at _her_!--and look at _him_!-- Talk about yer "Cheru-_bim_!"

Roll 'em up in dreams together, rosy arm and chubby limb!

O we love 'em as the bees Loves the blossoms of the trees, A-ridin' and a-rompin' in the breeze!

BEDOUIN.

O love is like an untamed steed!-- So hot of heart and wild of speed, And with fierce freedom so in love, The desert is not vast enough, With all its leagues of glimmering sands, To pasture it! Ah, that my hands Were more than human in their strength, That my deft lariat at length Might safely noose this splendid thing That so defies all conquering!

Ho! but to see it whirl and reel-- The sands spurt forward--and to feel The quivering tension of the thong That throned me high, with shriek and song!

To grapple tufts of tossing mane-- To spurn it to its feet again, And then, sans saddle, rein or bit, To lash the mad life out of it!

TUGG MARTIN.

I.

Tugg Martin's tough.--No doubt o' that!

And down there at The town he come from word's bin sent Advisin' this-here Settle-ment To kindo' _humor_ Tugg, and not To git him hot-- Jest pa.s.s his imperfections by, And he's as good as pie!

II.

They claim he's _wanted_ back there.--Yit The officers they mostly quit _Insistin'_ when They notice Tugg's so _back'ard_, and Sorto' gives 'em to understand He druther not!--A Deputy (The slickest one you ever see!) Tackled him _last_--"disguisin' then,"

As Tugg says, "as a gentlemen!"-- You 'd ort o' hear _Tugg_ tell it!--_My_!

I thought I'd _die_!

III.

The way it wuz;--Tugg and the rest The boys wuz jest A-kindo' gittin' thawed out, down At "Guss's Place," fur-end o' town, One night, when, first we knowed, Some feller rode Up in a buggy at the door, And hollered fer some one to come And fetch him some Red-licker out--And whirped and swore That colt he drove wuz "_Thompson's_" sh.o.r.e!

IV.

Guss went out, and come in agin And filled a pint and tuck it out-- Stayed quite a spell--then peeked back in, Half-hid-like where the light wuz dim, And jieuked his head At Tugg and said,-- "Come out a minute--here's a gent Wants you to take a drink with him."

V.

Well--Tugg laid down his cards and went-- In fact, _we all_ Got up, you know, _Startin'_ to go-- When in reels Guss aginst the wall, As white as snow, Gaspin',--"_He's tuck Tugg!--wher's my gun_?"

And-sir, outside we heerd The hoss snort and kick up his heels Like he wuz skeerd, And then the buggy-wheels Sc.r.a.pe--and then Tugg's voice hollerun',-- "I'm bested!--Good-bye, fellers!" . . . 'Peared S' all-fired suddent, n.o.body couldn't Jest git it fixed,--tel hoss and man, Buggy and Tugg, off through the dark Went like the devil beatin' tan- Bark!

VI.

What _could_ we do? . . . We filed back to The bar: And Guss jest _looked_ at us, And we looked back "The same as you,"

Still sayin' nothin'--And the sap It stood in every eye, And every hat and cap Went off, as we teched gla.s.ses solemnly, And Guss says-he: "Ef it's 'good-bye' with Tugg, fer _sh.o.r.e_,--I say G.o.d bless him!--Er ef they Aint railly no _need_ to pray, I'm not reniggin!--board's the play, And here's G.o.d bless him, anyway!"

VII.

It must a-bin an hour er so We all set there, Talkin o' pore Old Tugg, you know, 'At never, wuz ketched up before-- When--all slow-like--the door- k.n.o.b turned--and Tugg come shamblin' in, Hand-cuffed'--'at's what he wuz, I swear!-- Yit smilin,' like he hadn't bin Away at all! And when we ast him where The _Deputy_ wuz at,--"I don't know where," Tugg said,-- "All _I_ know is--he's dead."

LET US FORGET.

Let us forget. What matters it that we Once reigned o'er happy realms of long-ago, And talked of love, and let our voices low, And ruled for some brief sessions royally?

What if we sung, or laughed, or wept maybe?

It has availed not anything, and so Let it go by that we may better know How poor a thing is lost to you and me.

But yesterday I kissed your lips, and yet Did thrill you not enough to shake the dew From your drenched lids--and missed, with no regret, Your kiss shot back, with sharp breaths failing you; And so, to-day, while our worn eyes are wet With all this waste of tears, let us forget!

JOHN ALDEN AND PERCILLY.