When green as a river was the barley,
Green as a river the rye,
I waded deep and began to parley
With a youth whom I heard sigh.
" I seek, " said he, " a lovely lady,
A nymph as bright as a queen,
Like a tree that drips with pearls her shady
Locks of hair were seen.
And all the rivers became her flocks
Though their wool you cannot shear, —
Because of the love of her flowing locks . . .
The kingly Sun like a swain
Came strong, unheeding of her scorn,
Bathing in deeps where she has lain,
Sleeping upon her river lawn

When , full of warm and eager love,
— — I clasp you in my fond embrace,
You gently push me back and say,
— " Take care, my dear, you'll spoil my lace. "

You kiss me just as you would kiss
— — Some woman friend you chanced to see;
You call me " dearest. " — All love's forms
— — Are yours, not its reality.

Oh, Annie! cry, and storm, and rave!
— — Do anything with passion in it!
Hate me an hour, and then turn round
— — And love me truly, just one minute.

When curfew-bells begin,
And the log-fire hisses,
I covered Jeannie in
From head to foot with kisses.

There, in the glow
And flicker of the ingle,
I gave her for to know
How a man loves single:

I gave her for to know,
When the heart needs mating,
How hard a road to go
Was the long lone waiting.

Her face was all a mist,
Her dear eyes tear-laden,
To find herself so kissed,
And man so love a maiden.

Ah! but she did love!
With kind lips so quiet,
While my heart above
Was all storm and riot.

When April & dew brings primroses here
I think love of you at the Spring o' the year
Did I harbour bad words when your garter fell off
I to stoop was deterred but I stood not to scoff
A bitt of brown list of small value must be
But as it lay there 'twas a diamond to me

Ere back you turned to pick it up
I noticed well the place
For children there for violets stoop
With many a rosey face
I fain would stoop myself you see
But dare not well presume
The Blackbird sung out let it be
The maid was in her bloom

When all our hopes are sown on stony ground,
And we have yielded up the thought of gain,
Long after our last songs have lost their sound,
We may come back, we may come back again.

When thorns have choked the last green thing we loved,
And we have said all that there is to say,
When love that moved us once leaves us unmoved,
Then men like us may come to have a day.

For it will be with us as with the bee,
The meager ant, the sea-gull and the loon;
We may come back to triumph mournfully
An hour or two, but it will not be soon.

When all my words were said,
When all my songs were sung,
I thought to pass among
The unforgotten dead,

A Queen of ruth to reign
With her, who gathereth tears
From all the lands and years,
The Lesbian maid of pain;

That lovers, when they wove,
The double myrtle-wreath,
Should sigh with mingled breath
Beneath the wings of Love:

" How piteous were her wrongs,
Her words were falling dew,
All pleasant verse she knew,
But not the Song of songs."

Yet now, O Love, that you
Have kissed my forehead, I

What sacrifice so great!
No hour too early, or too late,
No isle too distant, no shore or strand,
She may not reach with earnest heart, and willing hand.

What love so strong!
It is her child, or right or wrong,
In crowded court of justice, if condemn'd,
Her love and tearful eyes doth still defend.

What love so pure!
Friendship oft is false, but one is sure,
That mother's love clings to us to the last,
Wherever in life our varied lot is cast.

FOR EASTER

VOICE of Mankind, sing over land and sea —
Sing, in this glorious morn!
The long, long night is gone from Calvary —
The cross, the thong and thorn;
The sealed tomb yields up its saintly guest,
No longer to be burdened and oppressed.

Heart of Mankind, thrill answer to His own,
So human, yet divine!
For earthly love He left His heavenly throne —
For love like thine and mine —

1. What happiness can equal mine; I've found the object of my love;
2. I am my love's, and he is mine; In me he dwells, in him I live;
My Jesus dear, my King divine, Is come to me from heaven above.
What greater treasure could I find? And could ye, heavens, a greater give?
He chose my heart for his abode, He there becomes my daily bread,
O sacred banquet, heavenly feast! O everlasting source of grace,
There on me flows his healing blood, There, with his flesh my soul is fed.
Where God the good, and man the guest, Meet and unite in sweet embrace.

What flower is my lady like?
You think the rose is my suppose;
But it doth not my fancy strike.
The gaudy rose in summer blows,
In winter it is cold and dead:
My lovely flower blooms most the hour
When days are dark, and summer fled.

My lady's like no mortal flower
That hath its birth upon this earth,
Though formed in nature's chosen hour:
Albeit indeed it had the seed
In garden bright of Paradise,
And endless bloom from thence hath come
To bless each other sense and eyes.

I ne'er shall think my lady old: