When June is here–what art have we to sing The whiteness of the lilies midst the green Of noon-tranced lawns? Or flash of roses seen Like redbirds’ wings? Or earliest ripening Prince-Harvest apples, where the cloyed bees cling Round winey juices oozing down between The peckings of the robin, while we lean In under-grasses, lost […]

A was an elegant Ape Who tied up his ears with red tape, And wore a long veil Half revealing his tail Which was trimmed with jet bugles and crape. B was a boastful old Bear Who used to say,–“Hoomh! I declare I can eat–if you’ll get me The children, and let me– Ten babies, […]

O your hands–they are strangely fair! Fair–for the jewels that sparkle there,– Fair–for the witchery of the spell That ivory keys alone can tell; But when their delicate touches rest Here in my own do I love them best, As I clasp with eager acquisitive spans My glorious treasure of beautiful hands! Marvelous–wonderful–beautiful hands! They […]

She will not smile; She will not stir; I marvel while I look on her. The lips are chilly And will not speak; The ghost of a lily In either cheek. Her hair–ah me! Her hair–her hair! How helplessly My hands go there! But my caresses Meet not hers, O golden tresses That thread my […]

Wait for the morning:–It will come, indeed, As surely as the night hath given need. The yearning eyes, at last, will strain their sight No more unanswered by the morning light; No longer will they vainly strive, through tears, To pierce the darkness of thy doubts and fears, But, bathed in balmy dews and rays […]

This is “The old Home by the Mill”–far we still call it so, Although the old mill, roof and sill, is all gone long ago. The old home, though, and old folks, and the old spring, and a few Old cat-tails, weeds and hartychokes, is left to welcome you! Here, Marg’et, fetch the man a […]

A passel o’ the boys last night– An’ me amongst ’em–kindo got To talkin’ Temper’nce left an’ right, An’ workin’ up “blue-ribbon,” hot; An’ while we was a-countin’ jes’ How many bed gone into hit An’ signed the pledge, some feller says,– “Tom Johnson’s quit!” We laughed, of course–’cause Tom, you know, He’s spiled more […]

The maple strews the embers of its leaves O’er the laggard swallows nestled ‘neath the eaves; And the moody cricket falters in his cry–Baby-bye!– And the lid of night is falling o’er the sky–Baby-bye!– The lid of night is falling o’er the sky! The rose is lying pallid, and the cup Of the frosted calla-lily […]

There is a princess in the South About whose beauty rumors hum Like honey-bees about the mouth Of roses dewdrops falter from; And O her hair is like the fine Clear amber of a jostled wine In tropic revels; and her eyes Are blue as rifts of Paradise. Such beauty as may none before Kneel […]

Las’ July–an’, I persume ‘Bout as hot As the ole Gran’-Jury room Where they sot!– Fight ‘twixt Mike an’ Dock McGriff– ‘Pears to me jes’ like as if I’d a dremp’ the whole blame thing– Allus ha’nts me roun’ the gizzard When they’re nightmares on the wing, An’ a feller’s blood’s jes’ friz! Seed the […]

O the drum! There is some Intonation in thy grum Monotony of utterance that strikes the spirit dumb, As we hear Through the clear And unclouded atmosphere, Thy palpitating syllables roll in upon the car! There’s a part Of the art Of thy music-throbbing heart That thrills a something in us that awakens with a […]

I’ got no patience with blues at all! And I ust to kindo talk Aginst ’em, and claim, ‘tel along last Fall, They was none in the fambly stock; But a nephew of mine, from Eelinoy, That visited us last year, He kindo convinct me differunt While he was a-stayin’ here. Frum ever’-which way that […]

I. Thou dread, uncanny thing, With fuzzy breast and leathern wing, In mad, zigzagging flight, Notching the dusk, and buffeting The black cheeks of the night, With grim delight! II. What witch’s hand unhasps Thy keen claw-cornered wings From under the barn roof, and flings Thee forth, with chattering gasps, To scud the air, And […]

“Whatever the weather may be,” says he– “Whatever the weather may be, It’s plaze, if ye will, an’ I’ll say me say,– Supposin’ to-day was the winterest day, Wud the weather be changing because ye cried, Or the snow be grass were ye crucified? The best is to make your own summer,” says he, “Whatever […]

It’s Chairley Burke’s in town, b’ys! He’s down til “Jamesy’s Place,” Wid a bran’ new shave upon ‘um, an’ the fhwhuskers aff his face; He’s quit the Section Gang last night, and yez can chalk it down, There’s goin’ to be the divil’s toime, sence Chairley Burke’s in town. It’s treatin’ iv’ry b’y he is, […]

Just to be good– This is enough–enough! O we who find sin’s billows wild and rough, Do we not feel how more than any gold Would be the blameless life we led of old While yet our lips knew but a mother’s kiss? Ah! though we miss All else but this, To be good is […]

We must get home! How could we stray like this?– So far from home, we know not where it is,– Only in some fair, apple-blossomy place Of children’s faces–and the mother’s face– We dimly dream it, till the vision clears Even in the eyes of fancy, glad with tears. We must get home–for we have […]

I’ve ben thinkin’ back, of late, S’prisin’!–And I’m here to state I’m suspicious it’s a sign Of age, maybe, or decline Of my faculties,–and yit I’m not feelin’ old a bit– Any more than sixty-four Ain’t no young man any more! Thinkin’ back’s a thing ‘at grows On a feller, I suppose– Older ‘at he […]

Season of snows, and season of flowers, Seasons of loss and gain!– Since grief and joy must alike be ours, Why do we still complain? Ever our failing, from sun to sun, O my intolerant brother– We want just a little too little of one, And much too much of the other.

“I’m home again, my dear old Room, I’m home again, and happy, too, As, peering through the brightening gloom, I find myself alone with you: Though brief my stay, nor far away, I missed you–missed you night and day– As wildly yearned for you as now.– Old Room, how are you, anyhow? “My easy chair, […]