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Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice；
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice。
And the night shall be filled with music
And the cares； that infest the day；
Shall fold their tents； like the Arabs；
And as silently steal away。
AFTERNOON IN FEBRUARY
The day is ending；
The night is descending；
The marsh is frozen；
The river dead。
Through clouds like ashes
The red sun flashes
On village windows
That glimmer red。
The snow recommences；
The buried fences
Mark no longer
The road o'er the plain；
While through the meadows；
Like fearful shadows；
Slowly passes
A funeral train。
The bell is pealing；
And every feeling
Within me responds
To the dismal knell；
Shadows are trailing；
My heart is bewailing
And tolling within
Like a funeral bell。
TO AN OLD DANISH SONG…BOOK
Welcome； my old friend；
Welcome to a foreign fireside；
While the sullen gales of autumn
Shake the windows。
The ungrateful world
Has； it seems； dealt harshly with thee；
Since； beneath the skies of Denmark；
First I met thee。
There are marks of age；
There are thumb…marks on thy margin；
Made by hands that clasped thee rudely；
At the alehouse。
Soiled and dull thou art；
Yellow are thy time…worn pages；
As the russet； rain…molested
Leaves of autumn。
Thou art stained with wine
Scattered from hilarious goblets；
As the leaves with the libations
Of Olympus。
Yet dost thou recall
Days departed； half…forgotten；
When in dreamy youth I wandered
By the Baltic；
When I paused to hear
The old ballad of King Christian
Shouted from suburban taverns
In the twilight。
Thou recallest bards；
Who in solitary chambers；
And with hearts by passion wasted；
Wrote thy pages。
Thou recallest homes
Where thy songs of love and friendship
Made the gloomy Northern winter
Bright as summer。
Once some ancient Scald；
In his bleak； ancestral Iceland；
Chanted staves of these old ballads
To the Vikings。
Once in Elsinore；
At the court of old King Hamlet
Yorick and his boon companions
Sang these ditties。
Once Prince Frederick's Guard
Sang them in their smoky barracks；
Suddenly the English cannon
Joined the chorus！
Peasants in the field；
Sailors on the roaring ocean；
Students； tradesmen； pale mechanics；
All have sung them。
Thou hast been their friend；
They； alas！ have left thee friendless！
Yet at least by one warm fireside
Art thou welcome。
And； as swallows build
In these wide； old…fashioned chimneys；
So thy twittering songs shall nestle
In my bosom；
Quiet； close； and warm；
Sheltered from all molestation；
And recalling by their voices
Youth and travel。
WALTER VON DER VOGELWEID
Vogelweid the Minnesinger；
When he left this world of ours；
Laid his body in the cloister；
Under Wurtzburg's minster towers。
And he gave the monks his treasures；
Gave them all with this behest：
They should feed the birds at noontide
Daily on his place of rest；
Saying； 〃From these wandering minstrels
I have learned the art of song；
Let me now repay the lessons
They have taught so well and long。〃
Thus the bard of love departed；
And； fulfilling his desire；
On his tomb the birds were feasted
By the children of the choir。
Day by day； o'er tower and turret；
In foul weather and in fair；
Day by day； in vaster numbers；
Flocked the poets of the air。
On the tree whose heavy branches
Overshadowed all the place；
On the pavement； on the tombstone；
On the poet's sculptured face；
On the cross…bars of each window；
On the lintel of each door；
They renewed the War of Wartburg；
Which the bard had fought before。
There they sang their merry carols；
Sang their lauds on every side；
And the name their voices uttered
Was the name of Vogelweid。
Till at length the portly abbot
Murmured； 〃Why this waste of food？
Be it changed to loaves henceforward
For our tasting brotherhood。〃
Then in vain o'er tower and turret；
From the walls and woodland nests；
When the minster bells rang noontide；
Gathered the unwelcome guests。
Then in vain； with cries discordant；
Clamorous round the Gothic spire；
Screamed the feathered Minnesingers
For the children of the choir。
Time has long effaced the inscriptions
On the cloister's funeral stones；
And tradition only tells us
Where repose the poet's bones。
But around the vast cathedral；
By sweet echoes multiplied；
Still the birds repeat the legend；
And the name of Vogelweid。
DRINKING SONG
INSCRIPTION FOR AN ANTIQUE PITCHER
Come； old friend！ sit down and listen！
From the pitcher； placed between us；
How the waters laugh and glisten
In the head of old Silenus！
Old Silenus； bloated； drunken；
Led by his inebriate Satyrs；
On his breast his head is sunken；
Vacantly he leers and chatters。
Fauns with youthful Bacchus follow；
Ivy crowns that brow supernal
As the forehead of Apollo；
And possessing youth eternal。
Round about him； fair Bacchantes；
Bearing cymbals； flutes； and thyrses；
Wild from Naxian groves； or Zante's
Vineyards； sing delirious verses。
Thus he won； through all the nations；
Bloodless victories； and the farmer
Bore； as trophies and oblations；
Vines for banners； ploughs for armor。
Judged by no o'erzealous rigor；
Much this mystic throng expresses：
Bacchus was the type of vigor；
And Silenus of excesses。
These are ancient ethnic revels；
Of a faith long since forsaken；
Now the Satyrs； changed to devils；
Frighten mortals wine…o'ertaken。
Now to rivulets from the mountains
Point the rods of fortune…tellers；
Youth perpetual dwells in fountains；
Not in flasks； and casks； and cellars。
Claudius； though he sang of flagons
And huge tankards filled with Rhenish；
From that fiery blood of dragons
Never would his own replenish。
Even Redi； though he chaunted
Bacchus in the Tuscan valleys；
Never drank the wine he vaunted
In his dithyrambic sallies。
Then with water fill the pitcher
Wreathed about with classic fables；
Ne'er Falernian threw a richer
Light upon Lucullus' tables。
Come； old friend； sit down and listen
As it passes thus between us；
How its wavelets laugh and glisten
In the head of old Silenus！
THE OLD CLOCK ON THE STAIRS
L'eternite est une pendule； dont le balancier dit et redit sans
cesse ces deux mots seulement dans le silence des tombeaux：
〃Toujours！ jamais！ Jamais！ toujours！〃JACQUES BRIDAINE。
Somewhat back from the village street
Stands the old…fashioned country…seat。
Across its antique portico
Tall poplar…trees their shadows throw；
And from its