THE FOUNTAIN. Into the sunshine, Full of the light, Leaping and flashing From morn till night,— Into the moonlight, Whiter than snow, Waving so flower-like When the winds blow,— Into the starlight Rushing in spray, Happy at midnight, Happy by day,— Ever in motion, Blithesome and cheery, Still climbing heavenward, Never aweary,— SHE CAME AND WENT. As a twig trembles which a bird Lights on to sing, then leaves unbent, So is my memory thrill'd and stirr'd : I only know She came and went. As clasps some lake, by gusts unriven, The blue dome's measureless content, So my soul held that moment's heaven: I only know She came and went. As at one bound our swift Spring heaps An angel stood and met my gaze O, when the room grows slowly dim, MARIA WHITE LOWELL. 1821-1853. AN OPIUM FANTASY. Soft hangs the opiate in the brain, What wakes me from my heavy dream? The graceful play, a moment stopp'd, Like silver balls that, softly dropp'd, I question of the poppies red, While I, a weed with drooping head "Some airy one, with scarlet cap! 66 Bright grew their scarlet-kerchief'd heads, 5 O, he is but a little Owl, The smallest of his kin, Who sits beneath the Midnight's cowl "Deceitful tongues of fiery tints! Far more than this ye know: That he is your Enchanted Prince Doom'd as an Owl to go. "Now his fond play for years hath stopp'd ; But nightly he unrolls His silver balls that, softly dropp'd, Ring into golden bowls." WILLIAM ROSS WALLACE. 1820-1881. EL AMIN-THE FAITHFUL. Who is this that comes from Hara? not in kingly pomp and pride, But a great free Son of Nature, lion-soul'd and eagle-eyed : Who is this before whose presence idols tumble to the sod? While he cries out-"Allah Akbar! and there is no god but God!" Wandering in the solemn desert, he has wonder'd, like a child Not as yet too proud to wonder, at the sun and star and wild. "O thou Moon! who made thy brightness? Stars! who hung ye there on high? Answer! so my soul may worship: I must worship, or I die." Then there fell the brooding silence that precedes the thunder's roll; And the old Arabian Whirlwind call'd another Arab soul. Who is this that comes from Hara? not in kingly pomp and pride, But a great free Son of Nature, lion-soul'd and eagle-eyed. He has stood and seen Mount Hara to the Awful Presence nod; He has heard from cloud and lightning-" Know there is no god but God!" Call ye this man an Impostor? He was call'd The Faithful, when A boy he wander'd o'er the deserts, by the wild-eyed Arab men. He was always call'd The Faithful. Truth, he knew, was Allah's breath; But the Lie went darkly gnashing through the corridors of Death. He 66 was fierce!" Yes! fierce at falsehood, fierce at hideous bits of wood That the Koreish taught the people made the sun and solitude. But his heart was also gentle; and affection's graceful palm Waving in his tropic spirit to the weary brought a balm. "" Precepts?"-Have on each compassion! Lead the stranger to your door! In your dealings keep up justice! Give a tenth unto the poor! "Yet, ambitious!" Yes! ambitious, while he heard the calm and sweet Aidenn-voices sing, to trample conquer'd Hell beneath his feet. "Islam?"-Yes! submit to heaven!" Prophet?"-To the East thou art. What are prophets but the trumpets blown by God to stir the heart? And the great Heart of the Desert stirr'd unto that solemn strain Rolling from the trump at Hara over Error's troubled main. And a hundred dusky millions honour still El Amin's rod, Daily chanting—“ Allah Akbar! know there is no god but God!" Call him then no more Impostor! Mecca is the Choral Gate Where, till Zion's noon shall take them, nations in the morning wait. |