A shingled shack beneath a hill, A clump of alders—dangling still Their russet leaves and just below, A creek half-filled with ice and snow; A chicken-coop and little pens— Against the snow some rust-red hens; A cow, a child with ragged coat— And by the fence a billy-goat.
These were the things that caught my eye From a car-window passing by. To me it was a hill, a brook, A house caught in a passing look; But to the child with ragged coat It was the house, the hill, the goat. To me and to each other eye That saw as we went swiftly by, It was one rill of many rills, One hill among a thousand hills, One little man-made blotch upon A changing ’scape that’s come and gone— Oh what a difference there can be ’Twixt little things like A and The.
MELTED CANDLES
Evergreen, holly and mistletoe, Heigho and a Christmas night! Wind in the pines and drifting snow, Stars and a world of white.
Oh, the joyful Christmas music! There’s a carol—do you hear? Have you caught the thrill of gladness On this night of all the year? Golden bells and shining baubles, Spangled angels—do you see? Silvered globes and painted soldiers, Gay and gallant, gaudy soldiers, Dangling from the Christmas tree.
There are candles, gleaming candles, Down and ’round and overhead, Twinkling, blinking ’twixt the branches, Candles pink and blue and red. Christmas candles, waxen candles, Once so hard but soft’ning now, Candles that the flames are melting, Tiny Yuletide flames are melting, Melting on the greenwood bough.
There is love and grace abounding In the vibrant Christmas air. Has it touched you? Has it thrilled you? Have you felt it pulsing there? Where the hearthstone of your heart is? Or have all the wintry years Only left beneath their drifting, ’Neath their cold and cheerless drifting, Cherished wrongs and bitter tears?
Is there nothing in the spirit Of the garlands and the wreathes? Is there nothing in the message That the fragrant balsam breathes? Is there nothing in the legend Of the Christ-child that can move The lifeless souls of mortals, The bleak, gray souls of mortals To forgiveness, grace and love?