Love or Fame; and Other Poems

Love or Fame; and Other Poems, by Fannie Isabelle Sherrick
Contents.
Love or Fame.
Girlhood, the dearest time of joy and love, The sunny spring of gladness and of peace, The time that joins its links with heaven above, And all that's pure below; a running ease Of careless thought beguiles the murmuring stream Of girlish life, and as some sweet, vague dream, The fleeting days go by; fair womanhood Comes oft to lure the girlish feet away, But by the brooklet still they love to stray, Nor long to seek the world's engulfing flood.
Hilda—a name that seems to stand alone— So strong, so clear it sharply echoing tone; And yet a name that holds a weirdlike grace, Withal like some strange, haunting, beauteous face;
A woman's name, by woman's truth made dear, That leans upon itself and knows no fear, And yet a name a shrinking girl might wear, With girlish ease, devoid of thought and care. And she is worthy of this name so true— This girl with thoughtful eyes of darkest hue, This maiden stepping o'er the golden line That separates the child from woman divine. Not yet she feels the longing, vague unrest That ever fills the woman's throbbing breast, But with a childlike questioning after truth, She lingers yet amid the dreams of youth.
And now upon the bounding ocean's shore She stands where creep the wavelets more and more, Until at last the rocky ledge they meet, And break in foam around her lingering feet. Her eyes glance downward in a careless way, As though she loved their soft caressing play, And fain would stand and muse forever there, Lulled by their murmuring sound.
Placid and fair The ocean lies before her dreamy eyes, Stretched forth in beauty 'neath the sunny skies, And through the clouds' far lifting, sheeny mist She sees the pale blue skies by sunlight kissed. Enraptured by the calm and holy scene, She stands a creature pure and glad; serene, Her eyes glance heavenward and a roseate shade Plays o'er her Hebe features—perfect made.