Late—all too late—our loyal tribute giving
A loyal, fearless soul!
He whom we honored late—so late—while living,
Lies dead beside the goal.
Yet this the solace of these long sad hours
While we who loved him weep,
We breathe an answering message in our flowers
To him who lies asleep.
To him whom soon the deep, cold earth must cover,
To him whose dying breath
Left to our hearts a message bridging over
The dark abyss of Death.
Hagar
To have known Heaven and then to walk in Hell!
Is it not hell to know his face no more,
Supplanted, spurned and thrust without his door.
Seeing another with my loved lord dwell
Sheltered within the tents of wedded love
While I must roam the desert of Despair?
Ah, God above me harken to my prayer!
Send down thy mercy on me as a dove
Folding its white wings on my tortured breast.
Let me not see the anguish of my child
With hunger torn, with thirst's consuming wild,
Strike us, oh God, into Thy deep dark Rest!
Lo! I have sinned. I kneel and kiss the rod,
But she, the wife, who cast us forth to die ...
I curse her not! Judge Thou between us, God,
Which in Thy sight is guiltier, she or I?
Water-Lilies
They float ethereal, unearthly white
Upon the bosom of the darkling mere,
Raying the dusk with slumbrous silver light—
Eidolons of lost moons erst mirrored there.