But when at the shutting of the day,
He sings faint songs for me,
Then is it very hard to say
If the wind sings or he.
FOR MY FRIEND
(F. V. B.)
Go forth and conquer with the wind for a sword,
O scorching might;
Go forth and blaze through the jungles of night,
Lead in the tameless stars with a cord;
Go forth, Lover of Right!
Make moons thy pebbles and suns thy coins,
And thy language light.
Fill highest space with thy depth and height;
Gather the nebulæ round thy loins;
Go forth and fight!
Go forth and conquer—return, return,
When the hawthorn's white.
Encompass the void; then turn and learn
The veins of the grass and the bee's delight;
Return, Lover of Right!
"I SHALL BE SPLENDIDLY AND TENSELY YOUNG"
I shall be splendidly and tensely young,
While yet my limbs are mine.
Each of them shall be strung
As a bowstring by an archer
With fingers strict and fine.