The youth reads omens where he goes,
And speaks all languages, the rose.
The wood-fly mocks with tiny noise
The far halloo of human voice;
The perfumed berry on the spray
Smacks of faint memories far away.
A subtle chain of countless rings
The next unto the farthest brings,
And, striving to be man, the worm
Mounts through all the spires of form.
* * * * *
From "Voluntaries II."
=_359._= INSPIRATION OF DUTY.
In an age of joys and toys,
Wanting wisdom, void of right,
Who shall nerve heroic boys
To hazard all in Freedom's fight,--
Break shortly off their jolly games,
Forsake their comrades gay,
And quit proud homes and youthful dames,
For famine, toil, and fray?
Yet on the nimble air benign
Speed nimbler messages,
That waft the breath of grace divine
To hearts in sloth and ease.
So nigh is grandeur to our dust,
So near is God to man,
When duty whispers low, _Thou must_,
The youth replies, _I can_.
* * * * *
Stainless soldier on the walls,
Knowing this,--and knows no more,--
Whoever fights, whoever falls
Justice conquers evermore,
Justice after as before.--
* * * * *
=_Thomas C.
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