Classic Poem

Dear Santa Claus, your reindeer hoof
Fell soft as snow-flakes on the roof
That spanned my hall of dreams last night,
And when I woke, the morning light
Was lovelier, and the wintry day
More fair for you and David Gray:
His summer moons, his autumn nights,
The glamour of his sunset lights,
His red dawns and their rosy glow
On the white wonder of the snow;
The sadness of his poet-soul
That looked beyond life's mortal goal,
For the great glory that should pour,
Through golden death's immortal door.

Entranced I lie the livelong day,
Dreaming of you and David Gray, —
Dreaming I see the daylight fade
Across the castled palisade
Of sunset clouds; it dies and dies
Into diviner harmonies.
Sweet, haunting faces light the gloom
Of twilight in my lonely room, —
Proud poet-faces, sad and stern,
To whom earth gave a marble urn
That could nor life nor love restore:
This, " only this, and nothing more! "

The page grows dim, and solemn night,
Drops her rich curtain o'er the light,
Till, fold on fold, its dusky fall
Shuts out the far horizon wall:
The stars begin to glint and spark
Across the purple of the dark,
And all the happy winter day,
Made fair through you and David Gray,
Melts in a heavenly dream away!