Laurence Alma-Tadema

“ But when you are a man, soft thing,
And life has made you stern,
May we who watched you in your spring
Still feel our babe return
In hallowed moments, such as shine
When thought or deed makes man divine. ”

“ Cries joy to its fellow,
And the wind-flowers dance to the cuckoo's call.
O what is the sun for?
[108] Come, grief is all done for,
The folded leaves creep from their beds in the bough:
The seeds are awaking,
The furrows are breaking,
And the blessing of God's on the blackthorn now. ”

“ The narrow river in her ample bed
Answers the stars, and soft serenity
Has spread her wings upon the earth....
O Heart
Of man!—why must you throb apart and know
A tempered Peace where Nature's Peace is pure? ”

“ Of wilted heather and of perished flowers.
For me not one of Spring's foreshadowed hours
Is quick with presages of joy. Alone
Who cares to creep? The solitary ways
Are primrose-less, and vain the violet days. ”

“ Sleep soft and dream pale dreams now,
To-morrow is your own....
Though some shall walk in darkness,
And others in the light,
Though some shall smile and others weep
In the silence of the night,
When Life has touched with many hues
Your souls now clear and white:
God save you, little children! ”

“ Stand gathered, heart-astir with nameless fears:
A strength has left the hour; the world before
Was warmer; and we face the day with tears.
[84]
Lines on a Picture by Mary GowToC
O whirling World! I know a corner still
Unsoiled by Hate and Strife:
Where hushed and gentle is the voice of Life:
Where Time—a summer rill
Soft-flowing through the grass—in measure slow
Sings sweetly as we go.
Here is a room wherein the white day gleams:
Silence o'er Peace has spread her pearly wings:
A smiling woman reads of simple things:
A child's blue eyes are blinded by their dreams.... ”

“ And there in waters deep I saw them lie,
With hands at rest and eyes that sought the sky:
Clear eyes wide open to an unseen day.
In wondrous silence motionless they lay,
With white lips smiling on their spirit's bliss. ”

“ They're soft and pinky, crumpled things;
If he stood up he'd only fall:
But then, you see, he's used to wings.
Bed-time: [13]
Baby baby bye,
Close your little eye!
When the dark begins to creep,
Tiny-wees must go to sleep. ”

“ Where do you come from, Baby Miss?—
'From the land of Bliss, from the land of Bliss.'
And what is the way there, Baby Miss?—
'Mother's kiss—mother's kiss.'
[24]
March MeadowsToC
A Lark:
Lark-bird, lark-bird soaring high,
Are you never weary?
When you reach the empty sky,
Are the clouds not dreary?
Don't you sometimes long to be
A silent gold-fish in the sea?
Gold-fish, gold-fish diving deep,
Are you never sad, say?
When you feel the cold waves creep
Are you really glad, say?
Don't you sometimes long to sing
And be a lark-bird on the wing?
Lambs: [25]
O little lambs! ”

“ And the leaves flow down with the rain:
The golden days are done now
And Winter looms again.
'Tis bed-time for the seeds now
For the earth is weary of green:
She'll hide the very weeds now
Till nothing gay be seen.
Yet wait! it is not death now
That strips the meadow and grove:
The rose but holds her breath now
In the garden that we love:
'Tis sleep—the earth must rest now.
[116] O Winter's a wondrous thing!
For she hides within her breast now
The jocund heart of Spring.
Fairseat.
[117]
The Common WealthToC
O voices of the sea and land,
How sweet upon my ear you fall! ”

“ And land; all bounds, all spaces, are to me
Erased; my heart upon its wingèd car
Of thought outstrips you; nothing now shall mar
My joy in you, O brother!—save that we
Are of the earth and ask to touch and see
The thing we love upon this yearning star.
O world of strange desires! Have not we two
Lived to behold each other and to smile?
Have our two notes not mingled in one chord?
What ails us? Were we joined this earthly while,
You would not love me better than you do,
Nor in my heart be otherwise adored.
[99]
XIToC
Without, you seem forgotten. ”

“ Roams havenless, and quits each shore distressed,
So wandered I, so left each land behind,
Bearing my soul as helmsman, sage but blind;
And still we journeyed on at Fate's behest.
But now I hold my harbour, and the ship
Casts anchor here. The unnested winds that blow
May reach me still and rock me to and fro.
What matter? Here is Peace that bids me slip
Closer and closer to the enfolding shore,
Lower the sails, and stay for evermore.
[91]
IIIToC
Are we not happy? ”

“ Are better both for child and man.
Fairseat.
[112]
Summer EndingToC
Over the world a breath
Has fallen as of Spring; the tender sky
Hangs tremulous, a shield through which the sun
Shines as the heart smiles in a mist of tears. ”

“ A great number of the following verses are already known to readers of The Herb o' Grace, and of the little reprint, Songs of Childhood. As these pamphlets, however, did not reach the public, it has been thought advisable to re-issue the verses in book-form, together with three or four more collected from various reviews, and a number that are here printed for the first time.
L.A.T.
[vii]
Contents
CHILDHOOD
[3]
King Baby
King Baby on his throne
Sits reigning O, sits reigning O!
King Baby on his throne
Sits reigning all alone. ”

“ He does not stay alone,
But comes up close to where we are
And bobs upon a stone.
[27]
The MouseToC
Little Master Mouse,
You'd better leave this house;
Crumbs are scarce upon the floor,
And pussy sleeps behind the door.
Mousie soft and grey,
I wish you'd run away!
Cook will catch you in a trap,
And mice mayn't sit in mother's lap.... ”