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With garish memories of kins strewn round；
Or lay your spirit's cheek on Forum ground；
For here a mighty Caesar lived and died：
To these and other stones； O ye who speed；
Since there； forsooth； a prince was passing great；
More zealous let your heart's adoring heed
The Child most Royal in a crib's estate。
No poor so poor； no king more king than He：
Come； better pilgrims； to this mystery。
26
A VOW…DAY FLOWER
（POVERTY； CHASTITY； OBEDIENCE）
Three little leaves like shamrock；
And the trefoil's love…lit eyes；
Whether it takes the sunshine
Or the shadows from the skies。
And richer than rose or lily
Is the flower he wears today；
With triune bloom and fragrance
》From earth to heaven alway。
Poverty is the low leaf；
And one is chastely white；
And the red love of obedience
Goes up to God a light。
Grow； good flower； and keep him
Who wears your bloom today；
Shadow and sunshine bless him；
And the trefoil's heavenward way。
27
THE TREE IN THE TENEMENT YARD
（For T。 A。 Daly）
America； Ireland and Italy；
All have known this poor old tree。
* * *
A rickety fence goes round the yard
And the noisy streets stand high：
The grassless ground is brown and hard；
And the cinder pathways； lined with shard；
Sees but a bit of sky。
Once the yard was fertile and fair；
And lilac bushes near：
And a Yankee counted with fretful care；
Under the solacing shadows there；
The gain of every year。
The crowded walls of trade arose
And gloomed the avenue：
But a Munster man at each day's close
Built in the tree his hope's rainbows；
And saw his dreams come true。
The years have thickened the darkened air；
But the tree is still on guard：
It comforts the young Italian there；
Who sees the future blossoming fair
》From the tree in the tenement yard。
* * *
America； Ireland and Italy
All have loved this poor old tree。
28
OLD HUDSON ROVERS
（For Joyce Kilmer）
When the dreamy night is on； up the Hudson river；
And the sheen of modern taste is dim and far away；
Ghostly men on phantom rafts make the waters shiver；
Laughing in the sibilance of the silver spray。
Yea； and up the woodlands； staunch in moonlit weather；
Go the ghostly horsemen； adventuresome to ride；
White as mist the doublet…braize； bandolier and feather；
Fleet as gallant Robin Hood in an eventide。
Times are gone that knew the craft in the role of rovers；
Fellows of the open； care could never load：
Unalarmed for bed or board； they were leisure's lovers；
Summer bloomed in story on the Hyde Park Road。
Summer was a blossom； but the fruit was autumn；
Fragrant haylofts for a bed； cider…cakes in store；
Warmer was a cup they know； when the north wind caught 'em
Down at Benny Havens' by the West Point shore。
Idlers now…and loafers pass； joy is out of fashion；
Honest fun that fooled a dog or knew a friendly gate；
Now the craft are vagabonds； sick with modern passion；
Riding up and down the shore； on an aching freight；
Sullen are the battered looks； cheerless talk or tipsy；
Sickly in the smoky air； starving in the day；
Pining for a city's noise at Kingston or Po'keepsie；
Eager more for Gotham and a great White Way。
Rich is all the countryside； but glory has departed；
What if yachts and mansions be； by the river's marge！
Dim though was a hillside； lamps were happy…hearted；
Near the cove of Rondout in a hut or barge。
Silken styles are tyrants； fashion kills the playtime；
Robs the heart of largess that is kindly to the poor；
Richer were the freemen； welcome as the Maytime；
Glad was boy or maiden； seeing Brennan of the moor。
29
Old Hudson Rovers
Send us back the olden knights； tell no law to track 'em；
Give to boy and maid the storytellers as of yore；
Millionaires in legend…wealth； though no bank would back 'em；
But old Benny Havens by the West Point Shore。
Off with lazy vagabonds； social ghosts that shiver；
Give to worthy road…men the great green way；
And we'll hear a song again up the Hudson river；
Ringing from a drifting raft； set in silver spray。
30
A WINTER MINSTER
（For Fr。 C。 L。 O'Donnell）
The interlacing trees
Arise in Gothic traceries；
As if a vast cathedral deep and dim；
And through the solemn atmosphere
The low winds hymn
Such thoughts as solitude will hear。
To lead your way across
Gray carpet aisles of moss
Unto the chantry stalls；
The sumach candelabra are alight；
Along the cloister walls；
Like chorister and acolyte；
The shrubs are vested white；
The dutiful monastic oak
In his gray…friar cloak
Keeps penitential ways
And solemn orisons of praise；
For beads upon the cincture…vine
Red berries warm with color shine；
And to their constant rosary
The bedesmen firs incline；
And fair as frescoes be
Among the shrines of Italy；
These lights and shadows are；
Impalpable in gray and green
Upon the hills afar
And the gold westering sun between。
The music！ Hark！
Oh； an it be no rapturous lark；
Yet has the lesser chant
The blessedness of song。
The snowbird mendicant
Intones the antiphon…
Et laboremus nos；
31
A Winter Minster
And all the grottoed aisles along；
Where servitors rejoice；
The chorused echoes run…
Oremus nos。
The inspiration of the breeze
Gives every reed a voice
》From tenebrae and silences；
Over the valleys borne；
Come organ harmonies；
And when the low winds call；
The pines with miserere mourn
A requiem musical；
Softer than moonbeams fall
Across the starry oriels of night；
Flooding the azure round
With hushed delight
And sanctity of sound。
32
THE DARK LITTLE ROSE
IRELAND
When shall we find the spring come in；
And the fragrant air it blows？
And when shall the bounty of summer win
Fairer than fields of Camolin
For the dark little Rose？
Long was the winter； the storms how long！
What flower may live i' the snows！
No bloom shall last under heels of wrong；
If the heart…blood be not deathless strong；
As the dark little Rose。
Sing hers the culture sweeter than rain
That healed old Europe's woes；
Older than bowers of Lille and Louvain
Grew by the Rhine and the towns of Spain
》From the dark little Rose。
Leagues in the sunlight never shall fail
While the broad； round ocean flows；
Though never a fleet goes up Kinsale；
See； all the world is within the pale
Of the dark little Rose。
33
THE MONK MAELANFAID
Maelanfaid saw a tiny bird
A…grieving on the ground；
And O； the sad lament he heard；
That sorrow's self might sound：
He could not read a note or word
The song of grief inwound。
Maelanfaid went within his cell
To keep a fast and pray；
To listen to a voice would tell
The mystery away：
What was the red long pain befell
The bird of grief all day？
〃Maelanfaid；〃 airy voices call；
〃MacOcha Molv is dead；
Who killed no creature great or small；
Who helped all