James E. McGirt

“ To-day he thinks he brought the oar himself.
And when she saw how artless was his love
The love within her heart was felt to move;
Where there is love much love it doth inspire,
Thus blazed her love and set his soul on fire.{70}
It seemed as love her heart would ’sunder rent,
Unless by hasty means could give it vent;
For when love’s heart is free from doubt and fear
It sayeth much that love would feign to hear. ”

“ Her loving mother knew the other part.
“Oh, Ed and John,” she said, with trembling voice,{63}
“I love them both and cannot make a choice;
Three months in vain the choice I’ve tried to make;
It’s left with you mother, which one to take.”
The mother thought awhile and slowly said:
“I cannot choose the man for you to wed,
For much is in the saying of the bard:
’Make your own bed and keep it if it’s hard;’
So make your choice; if he’s not what he seems
On no one else can you well place the blame. ”

“ And Ed with Alice marched away on time;
To church at night Alice alone he’d bring,
And from one book both in the choir would sing.
The childish love that bound them when at play
To greater love soon yielded up its sway. ”

“ Through thorns and thistles ’till his feet are sore,
She bids him stop; he cries to follow more.
Just as a bird must know the limb’s secure
Before she comes to build on it her nest,
So love will nestle when she finds us true,
Deep in our breast.
Just as we bruise a pear to make it sweet,
So love will bruise her victim with her feet ”

“ That night they vowed to love and serve through life;
There never lived a happier man and wife.
In Mistle still to-day there can be seen
A thatch-roofed house, twined round with ivy green;
Upon the lawn a boy and girl at play—
This is the home where Ed and Alice stay.
{71}
A BALM FOR WEARY MINDS. ———
What a balm for the mind’s the joyous spring,
What fragrant nectar its breezes bring;
How the babbling brook and the birds we hear,
Lull the heart from worry, the soul from fear;
What magnet power its measures hold
To keep the soul from growing old! ”

“ So hurried Ed, for fear the oar he’d miss,
Yet still found time, yea, thrice, her lips to kiss;
Just as a man is moved by sparkling drinks
Performs an act before of danger thinks.
The kiss affected Ed as strongest wine ”

“ And heaps up thorns and thistles in my way.
I bear the yoke and tread them with a smile,
For I am sure it is but for awhile.
Each day that dawns I strive to break the chain,
Although to-day it seems so massive strong ”

“ Der com’ to me again dem same old feelin’s
I’m going ’o hav’ dat chicken ’cep he fly.
{57}
A SAILOR’S DEPARTURE. ———
My dearest child, I have no wealth to give you,
No ring of gold to you can I impart;
Going, yet why should going grieve you?
You have my heart.
In calm, in storm, no matter how the weather,
My one great thought shall ever be of thee;
Tell me, I pray thee, tell me whether
You’ll think of me?
Without your love I wish my burden lighter;
With head bowed low I plod life’s weary way,
But with your love each day is brighter,
To toil is play. ”

“ Th’t run ’fore master’s door,
An’ ever mornin’ he would hav’ to cross
The load stone in my pocket,
I don’ jus’ lik’ I pleas’;
Mos’ every body tho’t I was de boss.{19}
Wh’n master’d cross de mark,
Yo’ see him ’menc’ to smile,
To git wit’ me it always made him proud;
I made de women lo’ me,
An’ long as I was th’re,
Nobody ever hurt one o’ de crowd.
Wh’n I go out a courtin’,
I goofer up my hands,
An’ put a rabbit down in my sho’,
No man on earth can beat me,
A winnin’ o’ de love ”

“ Der’re lots o’ learned people talkin’, bully,
An’ saying der’s nothing in de signs;
But if da com’ a roun’ me with der learnin’
I’m jus’ er goin’ ’o tell ’em dey’re lyin’.{56}
I’se got no time to listen to der learnin’,
Fo’ dey is jus’ a tryin’ to show off smart,
Der ain’t nobody, don’t care how dey’s learned,
Dat’s got de signs all wiped out o’ der heart.
Fo’ learnin’ never takes from man his habits,
It only smears dem over wid a stain,
An’ caus’ you’re learned, you is not an angel,
Dem same old trates er lurkin’ still within. ”

“ Der’s no use bein’ scared o’ cungers,
An’ lettin’ black cats turn you back,
You jus’ go on about your business,
And let de cungers hav’ your track.
Fo’ Friday aint no wus’ dan Monday,
As far as luck to you’s concerned,
You han’ may itch don’t spit into it,
You won’t git nothin’ but what you earn.
Your nose may itch, no one is coming,
Your foot may itch, you’ll go nowhere,
An’ you can let de worms crall o’er you,
An’ den no new dress get to wear.
’N’ caus’ you have a little learnin’,
You need not try to figure rich,
Jus’ go and get a spaid or shovel,
And go runnin’ to de ditch. ”

“ Fur I’ze read it in de Bible ’bout de lilies how dey grow,
It was put in der er purpus dat de workin’ men mout know,
Dat dis diggin’ an er grabben, wusn’t men’t in our lot,
An’ der ain’t no use’n workin’ we’n de sun shines hot.
Does yer heer de streams er callin’ az it cralls erlong de rill;
Does yer se de vines er wavin’, biddin’ me ter kum an’ fill?
Whar’s m’ hook and line—say, Hannah, give me all de bait yer got,
Fur der ain’t no use’n workin’ w’en de sun shines hot.{39}
Des ’bout dark I kum hum, strollin’ wid a binch er lubly trout ”

“ And spread out thorns and thistles ’long the way,
Will it return and find me as its mark?
Am I to tread the thorns some future day?
O Lord, I pray that Thou wouldst guide my hand;
Let not an evil seed by me be sown,
Or cause to sprout within a brother’s land
What I should hate to see within my own.
{55}
SIGNS OF DEATH. ———
When you hear at night de cows a lowin’,
An’ dogs a howlin’ out der mournful soun’,
I tell you now you better get you ready,
Dey’s goin’ to plant som’body in de groun’. ”

“ Th’t his trap co’t him,
Got a ’ligion tho’.{77}
People got no bus’ness
Fo’ to temp’ a man;
’Fusin’ water-melons
More th’n I can stan’.
If theys out th’re waitin’
T’night whin I com’ ’long,
They shan’t teach no oth’r
Christ’an to go ’rong.
Sally bake a hoe cake;
Get the kittle hot.
Goin’ bring back a chicken
If I don’t git shot.
{78}
I find in Mr. McGirt’s verses a meaning and accent which belong only to the true poet.
(Mrs.) REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.
Mr. McGirt’s poetry is spontaneous, natural and true.
(Mrs.) MARGARET E. SANGSTER.
My Dear Mr. ”

“ No, dere ain’t no use er workin’ in de blazin’ summertime,
Whin de fruit hab filled de orchard, an’ de burries bend de vine;
Der’s enuf ter keep us libin’ in de little gyarden spot,
An’ der aint no use’n workin’ w’en de sun shines hot. ”