Ida Lee

“ In one short breath, like foam upon the sea,
When rising winds the ocean bubbles free,
They shape themselves and vanish into space,
And others quickly follow in their place.
The heated day departs, yet gentle night,
Though venturing nearer, veils her face from sight,
Patient awaiting that belovèd hour
When like a queen, she rises, full of power,
To grasp the fallen sceptre of the day,
And calm her subjects, casting care away,
While freshening dewdrops cool the fevered land,
With gentle touch as of a mother’s hand. ”

“ Throughout the world one patriotic zeal
Binds the vast empire, as with links of steel,
To that sweet peaceful Isle we call our home.
Thither, from mountain top, or crested foam,
We turn our thoughts (as flowers turn to the sun) ,
And cherish high what there our fathers won.
If far away we watch the sunlight fade,
Beyond the range (where in past years, dismayed
The tired explorer stood, with weary brow,
And gazed across the mallee high and low) ,
We thrust the shadows back, and think the while
How men forget their fears to win her smile. ”

“ Come, wheel his bed among them and turn them in their stalls,
’Tis hard if he can’t see them before his strength quite falls.
They seem to know he’s going—they lick his outstretched hand,
And as he speaks they whinny, the sight is really grand!
But when he sees the chestnut (for in the door she stood) ,
I never thought a youngster could be one half as good,
He pats her, and he pets her, and strokes her bright red mane ”

“ All noiselessly, with one consent,
Their work but on one object bent,
They carry out a sovereign will,
And never rest, and ne’er are still.
They look like beings who frequent
A nether world—their time is spent
In weaving sorrow, grief, and pain
For those who sail the boundless main. ”

“ Outshines the gloom and cheers the distant camp,
Where with their flocks the drovers spend the night
In restful slumber until morning light.
One stage is finished! stars gleam in the sky
As weary heads on pillowing saddles lie.
Around the men sweet dreams their cobwebs spin,
And soon shut out the day’s unrestful din. ”

“ But the lights which flicker thro’ it
Are not those we see at dawn.
Mount the Arab! Take wet sacking!
Wet it must be, mind, not dry;
We must save the master’s cattle,
If we perish while we try.
Ride on faster, you are younger,
Tie your horse to yonder tree,
Break some overhanging branches
One for you and one for me.{2}
Face the fire and do not shirk it,
Never mind the smoke and heat ”

“ Where silver-like thread the tarantula weaves;
I see thro’ the green the bright web he hath spun,
And kingfishers dazzling the light of the sun;
From nests in the banks quick they flash in and out. ”

“ The dewdrops linger on the flowers,
The birds’ sweet singing chimes the hours,
I love to sit there listening,
And watch the fish there glistening.
They glance and dart both in and out,
And turn themselves all round about,
Where lilies grow. ”

“ Do not heed the dead wood cracking,
Or the sparks beneath your feet.
Beat and blind them, crush and kill them,
Till their blackened embers lie
Stark in ashes, and around you,
One by one in darkness die. ”

“ From over wide seas the white chieftains had come
To rest in our mountains and claim our dear home;{26}
’Twas morn in the vale when we rose up to fight,
’Twas darker than darkness, that fell ere the night.
Our farewells were short, as thro’ thicket we sprang,
All armed with sharp spears and the curved boomerang;
My people loud shouted their battle-cry old,
A quick answer came, by the bullet soon told!
I prayed as I fell, “May I speedily die
With those who, around me, now silently lie
Like reeds in a tempest, struck low by the rain,
Who never to life will awaken again!” ”

“ The drover’s world is darkened, his heart is wrung with pain,
As gazing o’er the hill-side where his ash-strewn camp had lain,
He thinks of the vanished spirit and heavily droops his head,
While sadness sits in his saddle—he knows his child is dead.{33}
He prays with fervent pleadings that his babe may stay its flight
In God’s own Heavenly Kingdom—His home of love and light.
{34} THE HOMESTEAD.
There stands the homestead ”

“ A moment more, it left him, and thro’ the dimness fled
Back to the Angel vision, with tiny hands outspread.{32}
The white-robed arms enfold it, and glances sweet and rare
Fall on the stricken drover, who lies in darkness there.
When morning breaks, the sunshine streams over a moving throng
Of cattle pressing onward, while breezes bear along
The sound of parrots’ chattering ”

“ But drew her hand aside,
“The man I love must courteous be,
Ere I will be his bride.
You say the life is rough and wild,
You think the man is bold;
I still could wish the stone were filed
That one might see the gold! ”

“ Tho’ everyone kept silent and solemn thro’ it all.
His voice once broke the stillness, “That’s not the stable bell?
The angels call me, mother!”—I caught him as he fell;
We did not try to raise him; I saw it was no use;
The horses they were standing, with halters swinging loose,
To watch our every movement: we took his bed inside,
And now I know they’re grieving because poor Bill has died.
{10} WHITE SEA HORSES.
Glad sea horses! ”