At Evening Time

B y

Livia Io ne Yo u n g

THE G RA"TO N PRESS"

PUB LISHERS N E W YO R"

LIBRARYofCONQBESS

Two Co p ies h awwso

DEC 26 3 90 1

Oo uy rag m a ntry

G LASS a Me. an) ,

C op yrig ht , 1 907 ,B y Th e G rafton Press

C on ten ts

AT EVENING TIMED REAMLANDA SEA-SONGNOVEMB ERHAPPINESSASLEEPO LD NORW ICH TOW NTHROUGHOUT THE N IGHTRETROSPECTIONHOMEW ARDAUTUMN LEAVESLI"E

Q UESTIONINGSMARCHTHE W ATER-LILYA W ILDW OOD LOVERTHE SNOW STORMTHE N U N .

THE O LD SCHOOLHOU SEEVENSONGH IGHLAND LIGHTALONG SHORE

MEMORIESTHE CHILDREN O" LIGHTTHE W ILD ROSEMY D REAMSA LITTLE W HILE

At E vening Time

O "TLY o ’er the landscapeAt evening time ;

Fall the darksome shadowsAt evening time ;As an Angel kneel ing ,Perfect peace reveal ing ,G l impses sweet of homeland steal ing ,At even ing t ime ;

D imly blue the mountains ,At evening time ;Fainter grow the outl in esAt evening time ;As bells distant peal ing ,Touch o u r souls with heal ing ,Call ing forth the heart’s best feel ing,At evening time .

D reaml and

NTO that dreamy land where I l iveCares cannot come ;

They van ish l ike rays O f fad ing l ight ,When day is done.

In all dread Passion ’s dark , seething stri fe ,I have no Share ;Even Ambition ’s fierce , scorching flameHas no place there.

Into that Shadowy world o f thoughtAnd mysteries

,

Peaceful songs of the soul mount higherIn harmonies.

Borne o n the W ings of my dreamy thoughtsMusings arise ,Calm and as sweet as the dawn of daySoul ’s paradise .

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A Sea -Song

W AY" Away " Away "Over the wide , bare sea ;

"ar-Offwaves are call ing , call ing ,Fringed with foam are fall ing , fall ing ,Shadowed in mystery.

Away" Away" Away "Sunlit and fair the day ;

D istant sails are fl i tting , fl itt ing ,Lonely isles are Sitting , s itt ing ,Lovely in sea-mists gray .

Away " Away " Away"Breezes are fresh and strong ;

Yonder l ights are beaming,beaming ,

G olden rays are streaming , Streaming ,Lighting the way along.

Away " Away " Away "Billows are flecked with white ;

O n a nd onward speeding , speeding ,Through the waters lead ing , leading ,Homeward beyond the l ight .

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N ovembe r

HE fields are thickly strewn with leaves ,Dead leaves—a faded diadem

And through the naked branches grievesAnd breathes the W ind ’s sa d re"uiem .

No more the light along the h illsOf sunset hues— rare crowns of bloom

G aunt trees with solemn Vi sage fi llsThe world around with mournful gloom .

The s"uirrels whisk through sunken wallsFrom tree to tree , their stores to hide ;Again , a straying walnut fallsAmid the thickets , stained and dyed .

The ocean beats upon the ShoreWith ceaseless dull and hollow thud ,And clouds that shall return no moreAcross the somber landscape scud .

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H ap p iness

HE poet writes in Simple l ines,

Of happiness the home heart finds ;S tay, stay at home , my heart , and rest ,Home-staying hearts are happiest .

Oh "hearts that wander far away ,And from your homes are prone to stray

,

In search Of peace , to seek for rest ,To stay at home is happiest.

"o r peace and "o y no heart need strayTo la nds where clearer waters play ;The peace o f l i fe each heart may win ,For happ iness it is with in .

Asleep

SLEEP "Aye , fast asleep "Morn ing l ight cannot wake them ,

Nor yet can the stormy blast ,Where wintry flakes drift in snowy cover ,Under yellow leaves and purple clover ,They are Sleeping at la st.

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O ld N o rw ich Town

HE Rose O f New England "Thou hast been rightly named ,

"o r s ince among the "uaint historic towns that crownThe W ild New England h ills— for native beautyfamed

Thou art the fairest fo und ,Thou stately Norwich Town .

The Rose of New England "Here many waters meet

,

From further hills , and far o ff tangled woodland leas ,The rivers onward glide to mingle at thy feetWith gathered force to pourTheir tribute to the seas.

The Rose of N ew England "Thy winding streets and hills ;Thy tow ers and turrets rise l ike feudal castles old ;Thy giant trees whose interlacing branches fillsIn autumn time the fields ,With clouds of burnished gold .

The Rose of N ew England "I love to think o f thee ;Thy name the cares of busy l ife and sorrows drown ,Brings back the long

,long days , and child ish fancies

free ,And with a long farewellTo thee, o ld No rwich Town .

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Th rou ghou t the N igh t

HROUG HOUT the clear night , the marvelousnight ,

The luminous heavens with stars are bright ,And sweetest perfume on winds softly blow ,

Like memories dreamy of long ago .

Throughout the long night,the mystical n ight ,

The day flowers slumber in fad ing l ight ;The l il ies o f peace , with petals o f snow ,

That bloomed in the gardens of long ago .

Throughout the d im night , the shadowy night ,Come echoing voices , long passed from Sight ,And speak once again—now sadly and lowFrom deepening Slumber o f long ago .

Throughout the stil l n ight , the wonderful n ight ,The heavenly choirs Sing from distant height ,The magical music we used to knowIn the folded shadows of long , long ago .

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Re trosp ection

HERE is the promise of o u r youth ,Once wri tten on our brow

,

What have the fleeting seasons brought,

To claim that promise now "

I own that so me have gathered homeThe Sheaves and ripened grain ;While some have toiled in barren fields ,To rea p but tears and pain .

There are w h o hold the cunning handOf destiny and fateHath shaped each wayward , misspent l i feHath ruled the wise and great.

I know not why the goal is missedThat stills the restl ess brain ;That bids earth ’s weary tumult cease

,

And breaks the sl eep o fpain .

But who shall solve l i fe’s mystery,

To those within the do or ;Redeem th e promise Of the years,A shadow evermore .

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H omew a rd

"O ld-Home W eek, N orw ich, C onnecticu t, "u ly I , 1 90 3 )

HOMEWARD the wanderers turn their stepsTo yonder New England hills ;

Haunts of fair childhood’

s unclouded days ,Whose memory ever stills ;Fragrant in fulness o f flower a g e,

They welcome back home to day ,S traying and reverent footstepsThat have wandered SO far away.

Homeward the swift flying sea birds speedAloft in their d izzy height ;Instinct unerringly shapes their courseIn the heart o f the lonely night ;Homeward bound travelers o n distant seas

’M idst emerald streaked foam ,

Tenderly turn at the twil ight hour ,To shadowy dreams o f home .

Homeward the wanderers turn their steps ,AS ch ild ren when n ight has come ;Wearied with baubles and playthings longTo rest and be safe at home ;

Sheltered amid the green hills o f home ,A while at thei r feet to rest ;Touched with the l ight O f the olden timeThe Haven of Home is best.

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Au tumn Leaves

OW , a hush is in the air,Now ,

the fields are brown and bare ;Lightly flo at upon the breezeLeaves from flaming forest trees

,

When Autumn days are here.

Mountain streams with scarlet l ined ;Barren rocks with garlands twined ;Purple, topaz , brown and redAre with matchless grace o ’

ersp r ea d ,

When Autumn days are here.

Uplands , glens with color dyed ,Crowned in Splendor— g lo r ifi ed ;

Far away the woo ded heightsShine and gleam l ike starl i t nights ,

While Autumn days are here.

Yonder sumac’s blazing torchBurns l ike fi r e— a touch might scorch

’Neath the stones , -by wayside l ine ,Peeps the W insome , crimson vine ,

N ow Autumn days are here.

Where the lowly mosses hide ,Mounds o f leaves dri ft , s ide by side ;While soft breezes from the westScarce disturb their dreamy rest ,

For Autumn days are here.

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Q u es tion ings

HERE did you get your starry bloom ,

Yo u fields with color dyed ;Where d id you get your radiant l ight ,All touched and glorified "

And you , you yellow buttercups ,Yo u saucy l ittl e things ;Where did y o u get your dewy cups ,Where golden incense swings "

And y o u , you do gwo od , dreamy-eyed ,With clouds of whitened sprays ;Where did you get your snowy flakes,To dri ft the woodland ways "

And y o u , you tiny Violets ,Whose fragrance never dies ;Where d id you get your eyes SO blue ,From heaven ’s cloudless skies "

And you , y o u tangled clover heads ,Like evening ’s purple haze ;Where d id you get your royal hueFrom dying sunset’s rays "

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you , y o u a ISIeS, ar a eTell me in whispers low

,

Where d id you get your hearts o fgoldDo you the secret know "

And you , you dainty arbutus ,By March winds coldly driven ,Where d id you get your rosy blush ,Like a faint hope o f Heaven "

March

OMETH March , with changing weathers ,Toss ing trees about as feathers

,

Wildly shrieks the wind and rain ;Pipes it now and whistles shrilly ,Rushes down where lands are hilly ,

Sweeps across the level plain .

Breaketh forth the sunshine brightly,

Bl ithely sing the song-birds l ightly ,Openeth the bursting bud ;

In the meadows flower s are springing,"oyo usly sweet incense bringing ,Nature ’s face with beauty stud .

The W ate r-L i ly

LEEP , thou water-l ily ,Upon the "uiet lake ;

S leep , in peaceful Slumber ,Unt il the mom doth break.

From the depths of darknessThou came to meet the l ight ;

Spotless, pure and fragrantFrom somber realms o f night.

Free from earth ’s defilementPerfect is thy retreat

,

Fill ing Silent forestsWith perfume rare and sweet .

From thy fi r st-born freshnessUnt il thy petals close,Thou are emblematicOf a D iv ine repose .

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A W i ldwood Love r

RE you a lover of moor and fen ,Of uplands , fields and the purpl ing glen ,

Where trees with fol iage downward bent ,Throw Shadows deep when the day is Spent ;

And streams play wild down the mountain Side ,Till lost in ocean ’s resistless t ide ;And low winds whisper throughout the trees ,Like haun ting prayers o n the evening breeze "

N ow , upward , whirring the sound of wings ,From leafy cover there trills and ringsThe wild birds’ song , with shrill rise and fall ,Whose sweet est note is the homeward call .

Along the pool ’s sunken , mossy side ,Amid Sweet-fla g rushes , tal l and wide ,The insects murmur and hum with glee,Low

,crooning son g s o fthe W ildwood free .

Are you a lover of moor and fen ,Far

,far away from the haunts o f men "

Come , then , with me , I will take your hand ,And lead you home to that "uiet land .

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The Snow s torm

HOUSAN D S o f crystal snowflakesEndlessly to and fr o ,

Hither and thither ci rcl ing,

Fea th ery cloudlands grow.

Fall ing l ike homeless wanderers ,Driven from steep to steep ,Finding at last a refugeIn the great world to sleep .

Softly o’er frozen ma rshes ,Heaps th e white, dri fting snow ;

Softly o ’

er wilder forests,Bending the branches low.

Hiding the far-o ff hilltops ,Folding them still and close ;Lending a hallowed glo ryTo their perfect rep ose.

Wreathing in wondrous beauty ,M eadows and mountain streams ;Changing the so mber landscape ,Into a land o f d r eams.

G leaming through evening shadows ,O "thou pure , silent snow ,

Resting with holy lusterDreaml ike, o n al l below.

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The N un

W h o is th e g rea ter, th e w ise ma n wh o l ifts himself a boveth e storms of time, a nd from a loof looks down u p on them,

a nd y et ta kes no p a rt therein,—o r h e w h o , from th e heig htsof "u iet a nd rep ose, throws himself bodi ly into th e b a tt letumu l t of th e w or l d " —0 u tr e-Mer .

PART from the world , O thou Pilgrim of Heaven ,Art nearer the Fountain where M ercy is given "

Thou takest with thee neither s ilver nor gold ,But , tell me , art thou any nearer the fold "

The burdens o f l i fe , thou hast laid them all down ,And thinkest of only the cro ss and the crown .

The pleasures o f earth , as they come and they go ,Are shadows to thee , in thy garments o fwoe.

N0 home hast thou here , but thou lookest aboveTo Heavenly Mansions prepared by His love .

A "uestion I ask thee , art thou nearer HeavenThan thy fellow travelers all footsore and driven

By tempests and toils , and the depths of despair,And wearisome battles that earth’s p ilgrims share"

Wilt rest be more "uiet , more dreaml ess , more sweet ,Than to those wh o ne’er knelt at His crucified feet "

I ask thee ag ain , with all kindness and love ,For I am thy neighbor, thy "udge is above.

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HE O ld schoolhouse , as in the days o f yore ,S t ill stands within the country ways ;

Beyo nd,where patches dark of woodland Spread

The wandering rivulet strays ,And roll ing pastures stretch far, far away ,To meet the sunset’s rays .

The district school ; where came for miles around ,In summer’s heat— in winter’s stormsThe boys and girls ; cl ear-eyed , red-l ipped and tanned ,Whose ruddy cheeks the rich blood warms ;With pail and basket , strapped with book a nd slateNo fashion knew these child ish forms.

How many tal es those scarred desks might relate "What triumphs books and slates possess "The spell ing match , the games o f hide a nd seek "The feats at noontime and recess "On yonder hills

,the farmers ’ varied store ,

To which was stormed access.

Across th e fields , where moaning pine-trees spreadTheir needles o ’

er each sunken bed ,The teacher Sleeps. S leep softly ; years have fledS ince thou our child ish studi es led ;

Th e purple clover heaps its tangled flowersAbove thy honored head .

Oh "l ittl e schoolhouse , many years have passedS ince thy first lessons left behind ,When o n last day from wisdom ’s l ips receivedAdmonitio ns and wishes kind ,

W e turned to seek new worlds— in fairer cl imesAnd l i fe ’s stern lessons find .

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H ighl and L igh t

"C a p e C o d , Ma ssa chu setts. )

CROS S the dusky sea , at close of day ,The lonely sh ip thou guidest o n its wayTh rough all the n ight ;

Thou l eadest home the wayward seaman frail ,Thro ugh storm or calm , where foaming waters trai l

To morning l ight.

N0 n ight o f fear can dim thy fiery eye ,Alone thou knowest where stern dangers l ie

Along the way ;And when the morn breaks o ’er the weary sea ,Thy tower of white will sti ll a guidance be ,

From day to day.

Abo ve Cape Cod ’s sandy, trackless shore ,Above th e surging tide o f ocean ’s roar,

The Highland Light ,"o r many years , through changing n ight and day ,The wanderer has gu ided o n his way,

Beyond the night.

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Along Shore

HE droo ping sea-weed floated with the tideUpon the broken shore ;

The torn and tattered fragments of sea-dreams ,Like days that are no more.

The narrow ridge of beach Stretched miles awayWhere Sharp rocks leaned to sea ;

And dark-brewed forests crept along the Shore,

In depths o fmystery.

The beach-grass l ean ing with the fi tfu l breezeIn hazy patches strays ;

And wi ld marsh-mallow’s t inted blossoms p eepAlong the sandy ways.

Frail , drooping sea -weed , on the ebb and flow ,

Of changing ocea n’s tide ;The restl ess sea may bear thee safely home

,

Or dri ft the ocean wide.

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Memo r ies

Y thoughts will ever wander far awayTo my New England home ;

And from that Northern land , o f early days ,Enchanting VISIOHS come .

I know not why it is, but day and nightSweet voices call me home ;

The scene is still the same as in the daysBefore I learned to roam .

They tell me o f the l ilac-scented bowers,

And fields with laurel grown ;They tell me of the fragile

,wayside flowers

That l ive and die unknown .

They tell me o f the wayside flowers that blo omWithout frail mortal care ;

And bring to me their vagrant,sweet perfume

Like an immortal prayer.

And l ist , I hear , from o u t the d reamy past .Hushed voices call to me

Of those who long ago have turned asideTo rest beyond the sea .

Though far afield my weary feet have strayed ,And in the wilderness

,

The cry is still the same , Come home Comehome

As o f a soft caress .

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And still they call ; these low , sweet , pleading tonesO ’er land and over sea ,

Throughout the d ri fting mist o f fleet ing yearsHave ever called to me.

Sometimes the cares of busy day will driveThese plaintive tones away ;

But in my dreams I seem to hear againAs though of yesterday.

The Children o fLigh t

HERE are who carry in their heart ,Through country ways and crowded mart ;

Who walk amid unceasing stri fe ,And restless tide of human l ife ;The harmonies of continuous ch ime ,Of thoughts serene and melod ies subl ime ,G o forth to toil with greater zest ,Their souls have learned the secret source o f rest.

The W i ld Rose

LONG the dusty highway ,Where thorns and thickets strew

Their leaves in sweet confusion ,A blushing wild-rose grew .

O ’er stones and stubbl e wandered ,Across the sunken wall ,With face to l ight upl i fted ,Unt il the evenfall .

Th e air with fragrance fill ing ,N o r asking yea or nay

,

I f darkening shadows l inger ,And dim the perfect day.

No human hand hath tendedThis fragil e, wayside flower,Nor watched its l i fe unfoldingBeneath the sun and shower.

SO l ived this dainty wild-roseI ts frail but perfect l i fe

,

Apart from world ’s contention ,Apart from care and stri fe.

And wayfarers—weary travelersAlong that dusty road

,

Are by the humbl e wild-rose cheered,

Though lowly its abode.

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h4y 1) fi mn m

EMO RSELESS Time ,Take not from me my dreams

,

AS down the lengthening chain of years ,The mystic twil ight gleams.

Take not from meThat wild , sweet source O f rest ,That soothes the sharp , relentless thrusts o f Fate ,And bids me toil with zest.

And when , stern Time ,Thou call est me to part ,With those dear souls whose love has been my l i fe ,S trong let me be at heart.

Whate’er may come ,While still the dayl ight streams ,Or when the Shadowy evening steals

,

Take not from me my dreams .

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A L i ttle W hile

T may be days , or weeks , o r months ,Or , perchance , shadowed years ;

A littl e whil e to learn l i fe’s secret waysTo still l i fe’s doubts and fears .

A little while , and this frail l i feWill van ish as a sigh ;Like morning mist , o r fragrance Of the flowers ,Or blush of evening’s sky .

A littl e whil e to th ink , to actAnd l i fe’s short day is past ;A littl e while to kind and patient beThe days are flying fast.

A very l ittle while to stray ,Ere l ight fades in the west ;A l ittle while "O "such a l ittle while ,And then —to be at rest.

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