Classic Poem

Sunk in the cushion of a high arm-chair,
A volume resting where his knees are crost,
With one hand slowly fumbling through his hair,
There sits the boy in magic pages lost.

At times he lifts a grave, though youthful face,
Revealing depths of eyes of liquid brown;
He seems a traveler from some far-off place
Who flees us as his flitting glance turns down.

O, dreamy boy, with fair May-morning brow,
What realms of wonders lure your restless feet?
In what far kingdom are you treading now?
What distant ocean bears your wandering fleet?

You sail with Sindbad through enchanted seas,
Your pockets stuffed with diamonds from his caves;
You and Aladdin gather gems from trees:
You give your orders to a thousand slaves.

With Crusoe you have rifled rich old wrecks,
You tame his parrot and you herd his goats;
With Captain Kidd you rake the foeman's decks,
And smiling, cut freebooting rivals' throats.

Columbus-like, you find another world,
You help Magellan sail the globe around;
Your flags with Drake and Raleigh float unfurled
From Dutch Guiana unto Puget Sound.

You sit with Alexander on his throne,
Yet conquer other worlds beyond his wake;
With Cæsar you have bridged the Rhine and Rhone,
Yet worn the crown which Cæsar dared not take.

And yet, my sturdy boy, you soon shall see
Youth's peerless poem dwindle into prose;
And soon your nimble feet, so wild and free,
Shall bleed from thorns of each caressing rose.

Boy-Cæsar, in the Future's sullen shade,
Some envious Casca plans his traitorous part;
Some lean and hungry Cassius whets his blade,
Some much-loved Brutus waits to stab your heart.

Yet I salute you, ere your dreams go wrong;
To you, young master, see my head bowed down;
O, prince of romance, story, and of song,
O, lord of gladness, glory and renown!