Down the dripping pathway dancing through the rain,
Brown eyes of beauty, laugh to me again!
Eyes full of starlight, moist over fire,
Full of young wonder, touch my desire!
O like a brown bird, like a bird's flight,
Run through the rain drops lithely and light.
Body like a gypsy, like a wild queen,
Slim brown dress to slip through the green—
The little leaves hold you as soft as a child,
The little path loves you, the path that runs wild.
Who would not love you, seeing you move,
Warm-eyed and beautiful through the green grove?
Let the rain kiss you, trickle through your hair,
Laugh if my fingers mingle with it there,
Laugh if my cheek too is misty and drips—
Wetness is tender—laugh on my lips
The happy sweet laughter of love without pain,
Young love, the strong love, burning in the rain.

A HYMN TO GOD

In Time of Stress

Lift, O dark and glorious Wonder,
Once again thy gleaming sword,
Cleave this killing doubt asunder
With one sheer and sacred word!
For my heart is weak and broken,
And the struggle runs too high,
And there is no burning token
In the new immortal sky.
Oh, not curb or courage only
Does my hour demand of me,
It is thought supreme and lonely
And responsible and free!
And I quail before the danger
As a bark before the blast,
When the beacon star's a stranger
In the mountains piling fast,
And there is no light but reason
And the compass of the ship.
God, a word of thine in season!
God, a motion of thy lip!

COMING SPRING

Ice is marching down the river,
Gaily out to sea!
Sunbeams o'er the snow-hills quiver,
Setting torrents free!
Yellow are the water-willows,
Yellow clouds are they,
Rising where the laden billows
Swell along their way!
Arrows of the sun are flying!
Winter flees the light,
And his chilly horn is sighing
All the moisty night!
Lovers of the balmy weather,
Lovers of the sun!
Drifts and duty melt together—
Get your labors done!
Ice is marching down the river,
Gaily out to sea!
Sing the healthy-hearted ever,
Spring is liberty!