A CHICK’S CRY
At lone midnight, with only the light
Of stars across my bed,
And on my wakeful head,
I prayed for sight, or note though slight,
Of moving melody.
’Twas then I heard the call of a bird,
A soft, pathetic cry;
It seemed to ask: “Oh, why,
My pleading word is not yet heard,
And I forsaken be?”
A motherless chick, and my heart grew quick;
My youngest, sleeping, dreaming girl,
With tender heart and eye like pearl,
Had played love’s trick, when hale or sick,
A devoted mother she.
With night’s last wane, I heard life’s strain—
A woodland warbler’s song.
The child arose ere long
With love so fain; I caught again
Rich rhythm of amity.
The chick’s cry ceased—’twas now a feast,
And note of joy it spoke
To the motherly master-stroke—
Glory in the east for the very least,
And smiled the Deity.
On man’s wide sea there come to me
Still deeper wails; oh, hark!
The children cry—’tis dark!
Ah, when shall we on earth decree
Divinest ecstasy?
THE KID AND THE COP[16]
He came to a stop, from the hailing cop,
The Kid ’neath the apple tree;
And then the cop went “over the top,”
Pronouncing his decree.
“Oh yes, ha, ha, a thief you are!
Come tell me quick your name;
Your fun I’ll mar without a scar,
And scribble it down—for fame.”
The Kiddie smiled, like a guileless child;
“Have one, it’s awfully nice.”
Thus reconciled, the cop grew mild,
Beholding the Kid’s device.
He seized with joy the fruit and boy,
With both of them enraptured;
“You human toy, you’re some decoy,
For now you have me captured.”
THE OVER-FAVORED AND
THE CHANCELESS CHILD
The favored child was loved indeed
By father, mother, city and state—
All glad to give the highest meed,
The child they’ve blest both soon and late.
Another child did men berate,
And now and then they brought to shame;
They saw and caused a cruel Fate
To damn this child with a felon’s name.
The happy child of Fortune’s breed
For mind and body had fullest plate;
Of noble flesh, an elect seed,
The child they’ve blest both soon and late.
The chanceless child they chose to hate,
To hinder hands that would reclaim—
Ah, even moved some magistrate
To damn this child with a felon’s name.
The well-led boy should take the lead,
Have free and ever a high estate—
’Twas rank injustice to impede
The child they’ve blest both soon and late.
The wayward child could ne’er be great,
And so ’twas meet his mind to flame,
And just his doom to accelerate,
To damn this child with a felon’s name.
Envoy
They all sped him to Heaven’s gate,
The child they’ve blest both soon and late.
And the godless waif? ’Twas Hell’s deep aim,
To damn this child with a felon’s name.