For Your Sweet Sake: Poems

POEMS By JAMES E. McGIRT Philadelphia: THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. Copyright 1906, by JAMES E. McGIRT.

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Born like the pines to sing, The harp and song in m’ breast, Though far and near, There’s none to hear, I’ll sing as th’ winds request.
To tell the trend of m’ lay, Is not for th’ harp or me; I’m only to know, From the winds that blow, What th’ theme of m’ song shall be.
Born like the pines to sing, The harp and th’ song in m’ breast, As th’ winds sweep by, I’ll laugh or cry, In th’ winds I cannot rest.

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I do not know the ocean’s song, Or what the brooklets say; At eve I sit and listen long, I cannot learn their lay. But as I linger by the sea, And that sweet song comes unto me, It seems, my love, it sings of thee.
I do not know why poppies grow, Amid the wheat and rye, The lillies bloom as white as snow, I cannot tell you why. But all the flowers of the spring, The bees that hum, the birds that sing, A thought of you they seem to bring.
I cannot tell why silvery Mars, Moves through the heav’ns at night; I cannot tell you why the stars, Adorn the vault with light. But what sublimity I see, Upon the mount, the hill, the lea, It brings, my love, a thought of thee.
I do not know what in your eyes, That caused my heart to glow, And why my spirit longs and cries, I vow, I do not know. But when you first came in my sight, My slumbering soul awoke in light, And since the day I’ve known no night.