Marie Joussaye

“ And frozen the blood in my frightened heart,
Then softly and sweetly the angel song
Comes floating across to my listening ear:
“Though the river is dark and swift and strong,
There is one who will help you, so be of good cheer.” ”

“ But let not anger live against the dead,
“To err is human, to forgive Divine.”
And if your wrath is fierce and fain would live,
Remember that I also suffered wrong,
Yet found it in my power to forgive.
Though Hate is mighty, Love is still more strong. ”

“ Life is full of hidden perils,
And the traveller never thinks
Of the dangers that surround him,
Till the ground beneath him sinks.
Can you calmly stand and watch him
Sinking in the treacherous sand,
Heeding not his cry of anguish?
Shame upon you! Lend a hand!
When you see a young beginner
Struggling up the steps of Fame,
And in spite of opposition
Striving hard to win a name,
You who’ve gained the heights before him
And upon the summit stand,
Do not idly watch his struggles,
Rouse yourselves and lend a hand. ”

“ For Truth and Knowledge, though we mourn our loss,
Rejoice to picture him in that far land,
Drinking deep draughts of knowledge from the springs
Of glorious, eternal, living Truth.
And knowing this we would not wish thee back,
Teacher and guide, philosopher and sage,
Who lived as God ordained mankind should live,
Who died as God ordained mankind should die,
Whose life was blameless and whose end was peace. ”

“ A post’s song and a true heart’s prayer,
And many a smile and tear.
Dreams of wealth, and dreams of fame,
Hopes of winning an honored name
And all the pride of a lofty aim,
And many a hope and fear. ”

“ For a glimpse of your future lover
In the words of a quaint, old rhyme,
That the good Saint never refuses
To answer a prayer sincere,
And the form of the one who loves you
That night in your dreams will appear. ”

“ The birds are singing sweet and clear,
Their songs are full of gladness,
The sun is shining bright, but still
My heart is filled with sadness.
It matters not how glad the birds,
Or fair the sunny day be. ”

“ Life and Death.
On a bed of pain the sick girl lay
With closed, white-lidded eyes,
As the sunset gilded the azure bay
And crimsoned the western skies,
Whilst over her head in bitter strife
Strove the Angel of Death and the Angel of Life. ”

“ All ye who are lowly-born and poor.
When the King arrives in royal state
It is fitting that none but the rich and great,
The ruler, the statesman, the scribe and priest,
Should sit with Him at the royal feast;
So depart, ye slaves, from the palace door,
Go, seek your homes in the haunts of the poor,
Lest your garments worn and your faces thin
Should offend His eyes as He enters in. ”

“ More fair than all the rest,
Our country’s precious emblem,
The dearest and the best.
O lovely land of Canada
May joy and peace be thine,
May the sun of bright prosperity
O’er thy Dominion shine. ”

“ Seems to lighten up the gloom,
It lulls my bitter yearnings
Into calm and peaceful rest,
As it bids me not to murmur
For God knows what is best.
It is the lot of mortals
To feel the weight of woe. ”

“ And years may come and vanish yet
Ere we two meet again.
The path I’ve trod since then, dear friend,
Has proven rough unto my feet;
I’ve learned that Life holds in the end
More bitterness than sweet. ”

“ All day long I walk the shore
Gazing out across the sea
Where the merry white-capped waves
Chase each other in their glee.
And I watch with eager eyes,
Pacing slowly to and fro,
For the ships I sent to sea
Many weary years ago. ”

“ Whose songs found answer in the hearts of men,
Thy name shall live on Fame’s immortal scroll
After his name has passed from mortal ken,
Thine the true poet soul and master mind
Whose lyrics touched the hearts of all mankind. ”

“ Some sleep beneath the ground,
And winter winds sweep o’er their graves
With sad and mournful sound.
And some by happy firesides,
With children, bright and fair,
Encircled by Love’s shelt’ring arms
They know no pain nor care. ”

“ Seek not then to read the future,
Leave it all to time and God.”
Then with footsteps fleet and noiseless,
Speed the shining throng away
And once more alone I’m sitting
In the darkness, cold and gray. ”

“ Find grace in His loving eyes
And the Lord hath chosen thy treasure
To beautify Paradise.
Dear baby hands that will never
Grow weary with earthly strife,
Sweet baby eyes that will never
Grow dim with the cares of life. ”

“ And when at eve in the glowing west
The golden sun sinks down to rest
They often watch the fading light
And say, “Perhaps he will come to-night.”
Ah! faithful hearts! ’tis all in vain,
Your loved one will not come again. ”

“ There are some who sneer at working girls;
As they pass us on the street,
They stare at us in proud disdain
And their lips in scorn will curl,
And oftentimes we hear them say:
“She’s only a working girl.” ”

“ Lift up those clear, calm eyes to mine,
Calm eyes that search me thro’ and thro’,
And listen while I question thee,
O Soul of mine, and answer true.
Life is so full of mysteries
That are not understood by men. ”

“ And who shares your bitter heart ache
Comes this offering of flowers.
Let their beauty light the shadows
Death has brought around his bed,
Breathing forth their subtle incense,
Messengers unto the dead. ”

“ Then turned away with bitter sigh
And cried: “O God! There is not one,
“Who heedless of the world’s cold scorn
Will step from out the beaten road,
And help with words of kindness born
A comrade sinking ’neath the load.” ”

“ The nightingale’s sweet notes, when day is done,
Float gently from the woodland’s cool retreat
In soft and plaintive strains, yet is there one
Who hearing both, would deem the lark’s mark sweet?
“A smile is better than a tear you say,
Believe me, friends, it is not always so,
As I can prove. ”

“ Upon that hero’s head,
Who bravely toils throughout each day
To earn his loved ones bread.
You’ll find no monarch who can show
A record half so grand.
God bless great labor’s true-born knight—
The honest working man. ”

“ And all the rulers met to plan
How Earth should welcome the Son of Man.
And they summoned the myriad slaves of Earth,
The sad-faced toilers of humble birth,
Saying: “Work! We bid ye, slaves of the land! ”

“ She says you played ‘hookey’ ’most every day
With Uncle Eddie down to the Bay,
And you two used to fight like cats and dogs,
And push one another off the logs
In the shallow water, just for fun,
Then sit on the logs and dry in the sun. ”