Short Poems

Out of the scabbard of the night,
By God's hand drawn,
Flashes his shining sword of light,
And lo, — the dawn!

Out of the mighty Yule log came
The crooning of the lithe wood-flame, —
A single bar of music fraught
With cheerful yet half pensive thought, —
A thought elusive: out of reach,
Yet trembling on the verge of speech.

Our God and soldiers we alike adore,
Ev'n at the brink of danger; not before:
After deliverance, both alike requited,
Our God's forgotten, and our soldiers slighted.

1. Our Father in heaven, We hallow thy name! May thy kingdom
2. Forgive our transgressions, And teach us to know That humble com-
holy On earth be the same! Oh, give to us daily Our
passion Which pardons each foe. Keep us from temptation, From
portion of bread; It is from thy bounty That all must be fed.
weakness and sin, And thine be the glory Forever, Amen.

THE OPTIMIST fell ten stories.
At each window bar
He shouted to his friends:
" All right so far. "

only one guy and
only one fly trying to
make the guest room do.

One got peace of heart at last, the dark march over,
And the straps slipped, the warmth felt under roof's low cover,
Lying slack the body, let sink in straw giving;
And some sweetness, a great sweetness felt in mere living.
And to come to this haven after sorefooted weeks,
The dark barn roof, and the glows and the wedges and streaks;
Letters from home, dry warmth and still sure rest taken
Sweet to the chilled frame, nerves soothed were so sore shaken.

One boy alone in all the world for me,
Yea, only one my loving eyes can see
And he, Myiscus, I love constantly.

In all the other youths no charms I find,
He is my all, to others I am blind;
Then can it be my eyes, with love afire,
Can flatter him who is my soul's desire.

There was an old man of the Dee,
Who always was partial to tea;
Buttered toast he abhorred, and by muffins was bored,
That uncommon old man of the Dee.

There was an old man whose desire,
Was to sit with his feet in the fire;
When they said, " Are they 'ot?", he replied, " No, they're not!
You must put some more coals on the fire."