University of California Berkeley NINA JONES HER BOOK NINAONES PAUL ELDER AND COMPANY SAN FRANCISCO Copyright, 1916 By PAUL ELDER AND COMPANY SAN FRANCISCO TO MY FATHER Take this my book A poor offering For so much kindness, But my all. I bring And lay it in your hand Today. CONTENTS PAGE A SONG OF LITTLE THINGS 3 "Missis" 5 To MRS. CARRINGTON 7 WINDS THAT BLOW 9 LONELINESS n THE SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT 13 After "On! THAT WE Two WERE MAYING!" . . 15 MY MOTHER'S EYES 17 THE WAR 19 THE DAYS WE PLAYED 21 SILENCE 23 THE DREAMER 25 CONSOLATION 27 HEART OF THE WINDS THAT CROSS THE HILL ... 29 DEATH 31 INCONSTANCY 33 A PRAYER 35 FLEURDELIS 37 KATHERINE FEBRUARY 23, 1916 39 A LULLABY . 41 WE CHASED THE BUTTERFLIES OF DREAMS ... 43 DISTANCE 45 AWAKENING 47 SOMEWHERE OUT OF THE DARKNESS SWEET ... 49 SOMETHING OF CHILDHOOD 51 THE WAVES THAT WASHED AWAY THE SAND 53 [v] ' NINA JONES HER BOOK A SONG OF LITTLE THINGS HITTLE birds upon the wing Flying off together, Bursting little hearts to sing Of the golden weather. Little birds upon the wing! Little sails out on the sea, Gulls and sails aflying, In the winds of Destiny Each the other vieing. Little sails out on the sea! Little stars up in the sky, Heaven's lamps ashining. Do you ever wonder why, Are you never pining For the birds and sails that fly? Little stars up in the sky! [3] "MlSSIE" HE NAME you had for me, (You called it yesterday) As blossoms of rosemary, The little name "Missie." It fell so light and gay, The name you had for me. Did it guide you happily Back, or will you say? As blossoms of rosemary! Little name that was the key To the springtimes early May, The name you had for me. Sweet and dear eternally, Smiling at the sun loved day, As blossoms of rosemary. Who shall take this name from me? When my hair is turning grey! No. It shall be April's fee As blossoms of rosemary. [5] To MRS. CARRINGTON ), SONNET, tell her that I miss The little touch upon the waiting hand; e ever ready words, "I understand;" HerTundly thought; the imprint of her kiss. And whisper how her words did much impress, As a seer's finger writing on the desert sand, This life of mine; how she ambition fanned Until it was a flame of lovliness. She may, within her dear heart's warmer clime, Send me a word, as the swift passing ship Takes brief a second from its glass of time, To signal the small shallop's toss and dip. I pause o'er I remember we are friends Even to the world's eternal sunset ends. WINDS THAT BLOW that blow the roses sweet Over the walls of the garden, Out into the dusty street And never ask a pardon, Do you never wonder where The ashes of those roses go, Or is it you do not care? Winds that blow! [9] LONELINESS THINK of you the whole day through. My thoughts, they voyage swift and speed Upon the winds across the mead. The winds that sing the song of you! I watch alone, the stars that gleam Their vagrant way across the sky. I know a little bird will fly One day to you as in a dream. And you will come, hearing my call, So silently upon the sand. I will reach out and clasp your hand, Remembering and forgiving all. By permission The International Magazine hi] THE SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT SHIPS that pass in the night, Through the silvering grey of the sea, Are ever a welcome delight. The ships that pass in the night May hold a dream's swift flight; Some fair dream for you or me. The ships that pass in the night Through the silvering grey of the sea! [13] After "On! THAT WE Two WERE MAYING" OH ! THAT we two were sailing Down the breast of the distant stream. Like little white drifts playing In the shade of the river's dream.- Oh! that we two sat, dear one, On the banks of the golden rod, Watching the twilight beckon O'er the clouds that reach to God. Oh ! that we two lay sleeping In our haven beneath the sea, With our hearts in Love's safe keeping And our souls in Eternity. [15] MY MOTHER'S EYES HE HAS blue eyes, that smile And hold the depth of angels' tears; That shine through stars, the while Gazing backward at the years. They are so true, these lovely eyes, And ever gaze a new sweet thought But who would not surmise She has blue eyes ! 17] THE WAR *--^r CRASHED upon the world its mighty woe> And tore its bloody path through many ^J^^ hearts A thing malign that is all nations' foe, War! the destroying hand of all the arts. It turns Time back to dreaded savage parts. The wreaking knife of murder's gory force, It hurls the best in man into its carts Of carnage, ravage; heedless of remorse That comes too late with Death's unflinching course. THE DAYS WE PLAYED DAYS we played in the shimmering sea Andyoursongwaslightonthequietair, Happy the hours and happier we, Without a sorrow and with a laugh for care! Now was there ever so merry a pair Dancing in sunshine beneath the lea? The days we played in the shimmering sea And your song was light on the quiet air! The salt shone diadem-like in your hair, We can not say love was not there, But in the Autumn he set himself free. The days we played in the shimmering sea And your song was light on the quiet air. [21 SILENCE [ILENCE is the lull that follows gales at sea, The pause before the voice of lovers' speech, The stillness of the grey dawn's mystery, The aftermath of twilight on the beach. It is God given within human reach. It is found in emotion's greatest hour, A thing too subtle for expression's form. It dwells in the heart of a forest flower And sails like a light cloud before the storm, Unseen, unheard, but with insistent power. [23] THE DREAMER OREAM that my dwelling is within your heart, Imagine that my visioning is your own, Look up and see me laughing down the path Of memories, together we have sown. Suppose that life were a meadow green, The years the field flowers that blow, And through the tall grasses hand in hand Singing, like happy children we go. Oh say that, "The sad road is covered/' That," The dogwood's abloom in the Spring. 1 And once more we shall sit in the twilight With silence remembering! CONSOLATION E still! No ill Can come to you. So deep And fathomless Is death. No breath, An end of pain. I call, Tis all My sad heart knows. Silent, Intent, Upon your slumber. But near I hear Your spirit speak, In dreams, It seems. [27] HEART OF THE WINDS THAT CROSS THE HILL BEART of the winds that cross the hill And come with the sweet of the hay,- Through my curtained window sill; Heart of the winds that cross the hill, Bringing a breath of the ocean's chill, And cooling the summer's day; Heart of the winds that cross the hill And come with the sweet of the hay! [29] DEATH IE TEARS rained from the sky I Oh stormy weeping. ' The sun hung sadly behind a cloud Fofyou were sleeping In that last unwakeful rest. The world was grey. Even the green almond swayed in sorrow, The old priest came to pray And I beside your still form stood Turned fast to stone; Then through the rainbow that swiftly swayed above I saw your face alone! By permission The International Magazine [31] INCONSTANCY I LOVE the world! I love you. I could not be true To just you, So I love the world Including you. 33 A PRAYER OH LET our prayers come unto Thee And listen in Thy greater heart. To the torn world eternally Oh let our prayers come unto Thee ! Until from sin our souls are free And we have done our given part, Oh let our prayers come unto Thee And listen in Thy greater heart. .35 FLEURDE Lis SPRING to color o'er the hills of France, ,In glory purpling the martial fields, And waving pinions of fair romance, In winds that sing of battle and of chance. And ye art blazoned even on their shields ! Ye grow in the damp of the trenches' mire, In the hot passion of war's wretched cause, And give thy fresh bloom to the cannon's fire, (Too frail to burn on a funeral pyre ). Oh what care ye for this world's mock applause ! Ye die on stems made green by April's tears, On youthful graves ye thrive to bloom anew. Thou art the ghosts of a hundred buried years, Of other lily flowers that here grew, Returned to face the horror and the fears! [37] KATHERINE FEBRUARY 23, 1916 ON'T YOU say she's sleeping, sleeping, Resting peacefully today? Won't you see the angels keeping Watch above her lovely clay? Does your heart stop still and listen For her footfall on the stair? Do you close wet eyes that glisten With the sad tears always there? Won't you think her sleeping, sleeping, In that home below the hill, With the cool green ivy creeping Over door and window sill ? Oh, poor lonely heart a'aching, Give her tears and violets white, Only know that she is waking Out of darkness into Light. [39] A LULLABY in these happy arms my pet, J Dream that the fluted notes of Pan Are dancing o'er your coverlet, And baby stars are looking down Upon you, child, and even yet Are dancing o'er your coverlet. Rest through the quiet night, my sweet, Know that God is looking down, Guiding to Dreamland your little feet. And sweet thoughts linger o'er your bed, While mother's prayers with them meet Guiding to Dreamland your little feet. WE CHASED THE BUTTERFLIES OF DREAMS CHASED the butterflies of dreams lnto the fields of yesterday, And caught one mid the moonlight beams. We chased the butterflies of dreams, That danced beside the shady streams. They lingered, but to fly away. We chased the butterflies of dreams Into the fields of yesterday! [43] DISTANCE I LOVED you, dear, I never told you so. I pressed your lips, You did not dream or know. I called your name, You could not hear so far, For I'm the ingenue You the star! By permission The Theatre Magazine [45! AWAKENING -r^i OJ JKNEW it not for love When first you touched my hand. The trembling of my heart I did not understand. I knew it not for love When first you kissed me, dear,- And yet it seemed not strange That you should be so near. I knew it not for love Until you went away, Then came the wild desire For you and yesterday. [47] SOMEWHERE OUT OF THE DARKNESS SWEET foMEWHERE out of the darkness sweet, The darkness of the narrow grave, I hear the soft tread of your feet. Somewhere out of the darkness sweet, Or is it but a mere conceit Of longing that the spirit gave? Somewhere out of the darkness sweet, The darkness of the narrow grave! [49] SOMETHING OF CHILDHOOD I HAVE this with me always The love of little things, A torn book from my childhood, A worn out doll that clings Around memory, that lingers And in the tree top sings. I have not yet forgotten The toy house on the lawn, The wee and shabby furniture Quite rickety and torn, I close my eyes and wonder Where has my childhood gone? I think sometime I'll find it Beside a shaded brook, With johnny-jump-ups on its bank Like in a story book The little girl I used to know With childhood's wondering look. [51] THE WAVES THAT WASHED AWAY THE SAND HE WAVES that washed away the sand Swept our two names into the sea They acted as a fairy wand. The waves that washed away the sand, Left nothing that we two had planned, But set our hearts and summer free. The waves that washed away the sand Swept our two names into the sea. 53] HERE ENDS THE BOOK OF NINA JONES PUB- LISHED BY PAUL ELDER AND COMPANY, AND SEEN THROUGH THEIR TOMOYE PRESS UNDER THE TYPOGRAPHICAL DIRECTION OF HERMAN A. FUNKE, IN SAN FRANCISCO, DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN Z.Z3?