The Congo and Other Poems Part 10

"Yet shall the fragments still remain; Yet shall remain some watch-tower strong That ivy-vines will not disdain, Haunted and trembling with your song.

"Your flambeau in the dusk shall burn, Flame high in storms, flame white and clear; Your ghost in gleaming robes return And burn a deathless incense here."

Third Section ~~ A Miscellany called "the Christmas Tree"

This Section is a Christmas Tree

This section is a Christmas tree: Loaded with pretty toys for you.

Behold the blocks, the Noah's arks, The popguns painted red and blue.

No solemn pine-cone forest-fruit, But silver horns and candy sacks And many little tinsel hearts And cherubs pink, and jumping-jacks.

For every child a gift, I hope.

The doll upon the topmost bough Is mine. But all the rest are yours.

And I will light the candles now.

The Sun Says his Prayers

"The sun says his prayers," said the fairy, Or else he would wither and die.

"The sun says his prayers," said the fairy, "For strength to climb up through the sky.

He leans on invisible angels, And Faith is his prop and his rod.

The sky is his crystal cathedral.

And dawn is his altar to G.o.d."

Popcorn, Gla.s.s b.a.l.l.s, and Cranberries (As it were)

I. The Lion

The Lion is a kingly beast.

He likes a Hindu for a feast.

And if no Hindu he can get, The lion-family is upset.

He cuffs his wife and bites her ears Till she is nearly moved to tears.

Then some explorer finds the den And all is family peace again.

II. An Explanation of the Gra.s.shopper

The Gra.s.shopper, the gra.s.shopper, I will explain to you:-- He is the Brownies' racehorse, The fairies' Kangaroo.

III. The Dangerous Little Boy Fairies

In fairyland the little boys Would rather fight than eat their meals.

They like to chase a gauze-winged fly And catch and beat him till he squeals.

Sometimes they come to sleeping men Armed with the deadly red-rose thorn, And those that feel its fearful wound Repent the day that they were born.

IV. The Mouse that gnawed the Oak-tree Down

The mouse that gnawed the oak-tree down Began his task in early life.

He kept so busy with his teeth He had no time to take a wife.

He gnawed and gnawed through sun and rain When the ambitious fit was on, Then rested in the sawdust till A month of idleness had gone.

He did not move about to hunt The coteries of mousie-men.

He was a snail-paced, stupid thing Until he cared to gnaw again.

The mouse that gnawed the oak-tree down, When that tough foe was at his feet-- Found in the stump no angel-cake Nor b.u.t.tered bread, nor cheese, nor meat-- The forest-roof let in the sky.

"This light is worth the work," said he.

"I'll make this ancient swamp more light,"

And started on another tree.

V. Parvenu

Where does Cinderella sleep?

By far-off day-dream river.

A secret place her burning Prince Decks, while his heart-strings quiver.

Homesick for our cinder world, Her low-born shoulders shiver; She longs for sleep in cinders curled-- We, for the day-dream river.