THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES mWJ A GREAT WAR AND OTHER POEMS CONTENTS The Kaiser s Illusion - 8- 9 A Prayer for Belgium _ 10 Appeal for Belgium ..11 Invasion of Belgium and France 12 Peace vs. War. _ 13 Peace _ _ -.. 14 Belgium _ _ _ 15 Th e Lusitani a ~ _ 1 6 A Question _ 17 He Alone Is Great 18 The Patriot s vs. The Fool s Paradise 19 Americans, Awake! 20 The Heroes of Vimy Ridge 21 The Skulkers _ 22 The Cry _ 23 In the Red Cross Hospitals 24 Addressed to 200 Navy Lads 25 Saw 100,000 Land 26 Vive! Joffre The Great Tide 27 Plymouth s Welcome Home _ 28 Plymouth s Fallen Heroes 29 The Spartan Mother. 30-31 Awake! Plymouth 32 Plymouth s 70th Anniversary Invitation 33 V 7? 36035^ CONTENTS Sing It Now 34 The Friends of Years Long Ago 35 Universal Melody 36 Life _ - -.37 Spring and Winter 38 Nature s Laws 39 Spring 40 June 41 October 42 Spring Voices 43 Sleep 44 Lonely 45 To Mother 46 Sowing and Reaping __....48 Be Valiant _ u - 49 An Artist s Birthday _ 50 Jesus 51 In Memory of J. Franklin Burke 52 The Pocono Mountains 54-55 Lake George 56 A Tragedy of the Hunt 58 In the Country Doctor s Office 59 The City s Wall Street 60-61 & PREFACE These poems were written as a diversion, with no thought of their inviting publicity. They were written in the night hour, on railroad trains, amid Nature s charms, and some were prompted by the savage deeds of the German hosts. I have published them for you, my children, and my dear friends, as a memento, and in the hope that) they will awaken memories in the days to come. Affectionately yours, CHARLES LeRETT RICE. Brooklyn, N. Y. December, 1921. A VISION OF PEACE Hail, Hail, the coming of the golden day, Bright vision of the distant past, When warring sons of God shall stay The tide of War, and Peace shall reign at last. Hail, Hail, the vision of the golden years, When they who mourn shall comfort find In One who "wipes away all tears," And speaks in words so wonderfully kind. If sons who fought shall ever more inherit (Those sons whose eyes were blind with hate) The blessing for "the poor in Spirit" All shall be well, tho homes are desolate. 1916. THE KAISER S ILLUSION An unreal image presented to the mental vision" Webster. High up upon a rock at rest, In cavern like aface the Sea, An Eagle sat upon her nest, Her eye cast out upon the lea. The sun had set upon the west, Its golden streams of evening rays, Following the storm that smote the crest, Gave promise of more peaceful days. All nations dwelt in peaceful mood, The ocean s calm, and forest trees, Were quiet signs of all that stood For peace on sea and inland leas. When night had cast its shadows o er The landscapes charm and ocean s power, Then from the sky a lightning shaft Smote rock and eagle s nest abaft, And they were cast upon the shore And lashed with waves in Ocean s roar. The Kaiser stood with arms at rest In Castle built beyond the sea, An eagle blazoned on his crest, His eye cast out upon the lea. All Nations dwelt in peaceful mood, Commerce and trade with each was good , And naught but fame and power could swerve The monarch born with iron nerve. But fame and power won him at last, And from the castle and the tower Defied the world with trumpet blast, To prove in war his nation s power. 8 The lightning stroke of justice sent By nations who were spurned as chaff, Shall fill the cup to his content, And strike the eagle s crest abaft When war has cast its shadows o er The homes of those who mourn the slain, Of millions dead by kingly power, God in His wrath shall judge again. When fleets are cast upon the shore, And War-lords flout the world no more, Then Peace shall hover like a dove, And men shall know that from above, The King Eternal still shall reign Throughout the Earth from main to main. 1914. 1914. A PRAYER FOR BELGIUM O! God of Peace, with pitying eye For Belgium s host who bleed and die, How long shall terror strike the land From brutal foes who raise the hand To slay the young, the old, the brave; Is there no arm of might to save? The German host has prayed to Thee, To give their armies victory; Invade the homes of those who sought In peaceful ways which Thou hast taught To till the land, and shield the State From nations born in pride and hate. Avenge the hate, the wrath, the lust Of the invading, cruel host, Who call on Thee in them to trust For victory, and then to boast That Thou hast been the victor s God, And joined the cause of their war lord. O! God of Love, bow down to hear The cry of Belgium s poor and brave, Unsheath Thy sword, let Nations fear To crush the Souls which Thou canst save. In ages past their land has tolled The march of Huns and victors bold, The scourge of war has been their lot; Avenge and save, O! WILT THOU NOT? 10 APPPEAL FOR BELGIUM Arouse ye men by truth and valor tried, And listen to the cry of Belgium s host, Sons of heirs have fought and bravely died To prove her soul of honor was not lost. Defiled by those who pledged their honor true To hold in peace the land that nations guard As neutral, and secure by honor due From kings and princes, pledge of their reward. False pledge, in hate and fierce anger broken By ruthless foes without a warrant given, As Belgium gave in peace a royal token, Her towers of strength by ruthless foes are riven. And devastation follows in the train Of armies that invade and scorch the land, Shall treaties seek the face of those again, Who soon shall feel the world s avenging hand? Her towers of strength and beauty riven, Her temples torn by cannon s ruthless blast, Her people cry to you and God in Heaven For strength to overcome the foe at last. Her homes shall mourn for years to come, The lost, and desolate shall be the fields Her sons have tilled, their life work done; And Belgium, stricken, to our heart appeals. Shall Justice by false issues be defied And mocked by war lords without heart? Shall virtue, truth and honor not abide With nations bound by treaties, torn apart? 1914. 11 INVASION OF BELGIUM AND FRANCE Today the Sun, proud Monarch of the sky, Has round this little earth its sunbeams cast On homes bereft of loved ones, once to die Defending homes, now shadows of the past. The pity of it all that sons of peace Should victims fall before assailing hosts, Relentless foes of those who sought release From tides of warriors surging to their coasts. Another Monarch from the boundless space Of God s great firmament of peaceful sway, Looks down on demons, void of pitying face, Who pierce and kill their victims day by day. A fearful record, bound and closed at last, Before the court of heavens great assize, Shall face their foes, invaders of the past, Whose souls shall quail before their victims cries. And those who cast the die for war, And boast that they have won the land By right, the conquered hold no more, Before the Judge shall speechless stand. 1914. 12 1914. PEACE VS. WAR When fleets are cast upon the shore, And war-lords flout the World no more, A mighty power shall seal the fate Of nations locked in strife and hate. Injustice, wrath and vain ambition Can never gain the World s applause, Nur e\er bring to full fruition The soul s desire for righteous laws. The ,kies that now are hid from sight With clouds of darkness from above, Shall then appear forever bright, When men observe the law of Love. 13 1914. PEACE All neutral sons shall hail the day, When warring hosts their hands shall stay This world s sad tragedy; When weary hearts to hearts shall yield A pledge of friendship on the field Now fraught with destiny. When brothers from their hearts shall say, We ve fought our fight and hail the day, And pledge it with our life ; When greed of power and lust shall cease, And those at war shall give release To weary sons of strife. Who has lost faith in wrongs redressed, Of sons with heavy hearts oppressed, Or born of poverty? For He who guides through starry space The suns and worlds that run their race Shall judge in equity. 14 1915. BELGIUM Belgium! the hearts that beat for thee Are hearts of hope for Belgium, For weak and strong, who fought the wrong That drove thee to the sea. Belgium ! the hands that work for thee Are hands of friends for Belgium, To help thee rise and see the skies That shine with destiny. Belgium ! the boys that fight for thee Are sons of toil in Belgium, With others brave they try to save Thy coast, and set thee free. Belgium ! the souls that mourn for thee Would fight for truth and Belgium, And we are free across the sea To work and pray for Belgium. 15 THE LUSITANIA As from the port we bade a fond adieu, And alien voices gave a coarse alarm, We little thought the ocean s pirate crew, Would dare cause neutrals any loss or harm. But underneath the dome of ocean s crest There lurked a monster of the silent deep, Born of Attila s loins and War s behest, To strike its fangs on those awake, asleep. The cobra strikes upon its native heath The victim free of fear and hostile art; The outlawed creeper of the sea beneath, From slimy depths sends forth a deadly dart. The awful tragedy of lust and hate Engulfed the children yet in tender years In waters cold, down to a dismal fate, And neutral nations mourn in love and tears. The brave and honored, a heroic band, Proved true to shield the weak and face the wave That sank the ship and souls in sight of land, And bore them gently to a watery grave. And underneath the waves and ocean s roar The victims of remorseless souls shall lie Forever, until time shall be no more, And God shall judge the guilty ones on high. This was but one of all the brood of Hell Sent forth as monsters of the slimy deep, From brutes who ravish Virgin lives and kill ; Who crucify the babes and make their angels weep. As crimes like these were born in "Fatherland" The Christ who taught repentance, truth and love, Will judge and execute "High Heaven s" demand On all who claim exemption from above. 16 1916. A QUESTION Where is Heaven? That blest abode Which mortals seek and fain would see, Who blindly travel on the road Through life to death, Eternity. It cannot be that Heaven is near? The cruel past, the hate, the knell Of War, fills us with doubt and fear That we are near the brink of Hell? But God is here, He rides the storms, His footsteps rest upon the wave, His truth, His loveliness adorns All souls who trust in Him to save. 17 HE ALONE IS GREAT Roll on ! Roll on ! thou mighty war of hate Diplomacy is weak men s hearts are false; Full well we know we cannot stem thy fate, There is but One can stay Oppression s power, And He alone is great. And no man s hand can stay the tide When once the dikes are past; The blotch of awful crimes ye cannot hide, They rise in clouds that bear thy shame, For only God is great. Posterity shall know from all the blood and heat And cries of wounded men Who paid the penalty, who forged the dogs of War And brought poor Belgium to thy feet, For only God is great. As onward roll the wheel of Time, Burdened with years of man s brutality to man, Of Nations crushed by Autocrats, Who rule with iron hand And lay a ransom at thy feet, The curse of War shall stand, For only God is great. When all the Toll is paid, The mill which grinds and separates the wheat And casts the chaff aside, The War shall cease, and Peace alone abide, For only God is great. 1917. 18 THE PATRIOT S VS. THE FOOL S PARADISE What stirs the note for War and patriotic voice From sea to sea? As round this weary world of strife The faithful sons of toil and sons of easy life Unite to swell the chorus and start to join the Fray For Freedom of the World and God s triumphant Day. At Lexington and Bunker Hill we heard the same alarm, And many sons of Freedom, who left their altar fires, (The yeomen, bred of New England s Pilgrim sires Fought gallantly to save to their posterity The star of hope to all the World, of States a galaxy. What cared they for life or death, they had a bitter hatred Of Kings and potentates, who ruled with evil passion, And hid God s light by subterfuge and in a devilish fashion ; They fought and died for you and me on every battlefield, That we, their sons, to brutal force should never, never yield. But there were Tories, too, who hid and skulked and fled ; The tale of their misgivings and fealty to the foe Is one of shame, disgrace, poltroonry and woe; And will the shirkers in this righteous war take heed And prove that they will loyal be in every word and deed? 1917. 19 1917. AMERICANS AWAKE t Americans, awake! And gird your fighting armor on, The brutal Huns are at the gate, Awake, ere Faith and Hope are gone. Awake! Awake! Forsake the life of selfish ease, Ere Thor and Woden hosts shall take From freemen s sons the open seas. The hallowed dead, Who died that justice might not die, From heaven s heights the boys who bled And died for you; to you they cry. They are not dead. Beyond, above all mortal spheres, On glory s heights their footsteps tread Beyond the pale of earthly years. To you they cry. They call and do not call in vain. From every State the braves reply, "We come ! We come !" unto the slain. And victory won Our loyal sons in peace shall dwell, And all who live beneath the sun Send Satan s angels back to hell. 20 1917. THE HEROES OF VIMY RIDGE The hail of lead flowed thick and fast As over Vimy Ridge there passed, The youth who bore amid the fight, The flag that waves for Victory and Right, The banner of the brave. The first to place the Stars and Stripes Before the foe on Vimy s Heights, Gunner William Clancy is his name, Enrolled, enshrined, he won his fame On Europe s battlefield. One dying soldier, name unknown, Sent message to his Newark home, Amid the carnage and the strife, "For you I ll freely give my life, For Freedom of the World." 21 1917. THE SKULKERS Afraid of death, afraid to fight, Afraid to battle for the right, Afraid to meet the brutal foe, Afraid to stand for weal or woe, Afraid to bear the Nation s arms, Afraid to leave the life that charms, Afraid of men who cherish hate, Afraid to fight for Native State, Afraid to fight for Liberty, Afraid to fight to set men free, Afraid to face the shot and shell, Afraid of war because it s hell, Afraid to die whate er betide, Afraid to serve the Christ who died. 22 THE CRY From years of human bondage to the Czar, From out the Eastern dawn, There breaks a cry of unfettered souls, Whose eyes, though dimmed, have seen the light- Whose sons shall stand for Liberty and Right- Whose storm-tossed sails have crossed the bar. The golden day is here, The struggling nations which adown the past Were crushed and broken by oppression s chains, Are new-born to the world s fraternity Of states reclaimed to Truth and Liberty, And to a higher, nobler task. This cry, this human cry From Russia s sons, who loosed their chains, Is ringing yet in Europe s vast domain, And autocrats who tremble at the thought Of death, dismay and carnage they have wrought, Await the verdict, while God reigns. 1917. 23 IN THE RED CROSS HOSPITALS I saw among the thousands lying there A silent form of pity, love and grace, Moving from cot to cot as if in prayer, Although I knew Him not, I saw the face. And other forms there were within each ward In cleanly garb, with subdued voice they gave At cheerful service for their risen Lord, Who gave His life, that others He might save. And there were wounded sons of Uncle Sam, Sent from the North, the South, the East and West; Brave boys who faced the foe and never ran, For them the folks at home will do their best. And there amid the cannon s roar and tolling bells Lay Britain s sons and brave France s men, Deformed, defaced by Satan s shot and shells, That Truth and Right might rule the world again. But they were not alone. The Master said As He saw the thousands lying there, "Lo, I am with the dying and the dead." The face I saw was His so pitiful and fair. 1918. 24 Addressed to Two Hundred Navy Lads Arbuckle Institute, July 16, 1917 Young men ; you who have sworn to serve For Freedom and the State, For Truth and Justice and the Laws God gave us to observe; As you "do your bit" for Home and Victory, Fear not the foe as you shall cross the sea, For hearts beat true for thee. Be brave, for there is only One, Whose arm can stay the tide Which ebbs and flows on Sea and Land; He gave His only Son To save the World from the abyss of human woe; Fear not the foe, when forward you shall go, His love is pledged to thee. 25 SAW 100,000 LAND A sailor writes that he saw 100,000 of our boys land on the coast of France. As our vessel anchored off the coast of France I stood upon the deck enthralled as in a trance, For my eyes beheld the transports by the docks along the shore, Unloading and unloading one hundred thousand more Of Uncle Sam s best fighters, who have crossed the restless sea To give their lives, if need be, for God and liberty. For we have pledged our Allies with dollars by the billions To send not only thousands, but fighters by the millions. We ll clinch our fists and steel our hearts against a compro mise, For truth and justice must prevail if every freeman dies. 1918 26 VIVE, JOFFRE! Who held the brutal Hun at bay And won a Victory at the Marne, Which Freemen, Truth and History With full acclaim shall names adorn With wreaths of Victory. 1917. THE GREAT TIDE "There s a great tide running in the hearts of men" Presi dent Wilson. "There s a great Tide running in the hearts of men" From One Supreme, eternal source of power divine. As Nations "wax and wane," As "Ancient" is His name, As from the mists of years, so onward through all time, His tides shall run the same. A thousand years is but a day adown the past, The tides move slow and deep in human hearts aflame For human brotherhood ; The place where Jesus stood, The world will yet proclaim, there is no other name On earth, in Heaven, so good. 27 PLYMOUTH CHURCH WELCOMES HER HEROES PLYMOUTH S WELCOME HOME WELCOME HOME! You who have served the World, WELCOME ALL, who, underneath the Flag unfurled, Have served on sea or land against the foe, Glad welcomes greet you wherever you may go! Welcome to Plymouth s sheltering roof again, Welcome to brave daughters and the loyal men. The sons of Plymouth through the passing years Have served the Nation with voice and life and tears Against human bondage and unrighteous gain, For God and Brotherhood, with many hearts aflame. On battlements of Heaven the voices of our friends May join with us a welcome home again. On Neptune s heaving breast in stormy seas, The Stars and Stripes were floating in the breeze ; They guarded well the open seas and land, No braver men have served on ocean s strand. The Navy boys who sailed the briny deep Guarded well the sea where those who sleep Shall rise again when at the Judgment Day They face the crew that sank the Lusitania. You who fought in broken ranks and bled, While screeching shells and thunder overhead Made war a hell, with faces to the foe, While wounded and the dead lay row on row ; On Flanders field and on brave France s soil You fought for us and made the foe recoil. When Caesar s legions crossed to Briton s coast, They passed the Rhine a conquering Roman host. For conquest they subdued the ancient Hun, And ravaged France on fields which you have won From brutal sons of a proud Autocracy, And gained for Freedom a Glorious Victory! 1919. 28 PLYMOUTH S FALLEN HEROES Forever lost are they who fell ere youth its mantle shed? Forever lost are they on Flanders field we count as dead? Forever lost are they who had the promise of a brilliant life? Forever lost are they who faltered not but bore the brunt of strife? Shall we who mourn our fallen sons on Honor Roll, "Shall we who count the cost rebel at such a toll? Of noble sons whom mothers gave to freedom s cause, Shall we who gave our sons to heal the broken laws Of God s great world He sent His only Son to save, Shall we forget that life is not immortal in the grave? Perennial youth, hope, faith and love SHALL LIVE. Hate, injustice, pride, and all the world can give Of fleeting pleasure and false ambition, THESE SHALL DIE. BUT NOT OUR NOBLE SONS! Their lives are crowned on high. They live and serve serene in fairer lands above, Sheltered forever in God s great Canopy of Love. 29 THE SPARTAN MOTHER Before an ancient fireplace, A lonely mother warms her hands, And laden is the iron grate With ribs of wood brought from the race Below the water mill, whose bands With rust and age are out of date. For iron rust and age will tell, And time and partings come to all Of every clime and nation, The oaken bucket and the well With rust and mosses as a pall, Start thoughts for meditation. The wild wind moans around the doors, And windows too with loosened panes Sing low and faint. O er head the black cloud swiftly soars From East to West Awhile it rains ; But no one enters at the gate. As louder grows the tempest blast, Of rain and ice against the pane, She rocks and rocks again, Till midnight hours are passed; As falls the hail and rain, She rocks and rocks again. She does not quail, her heart is true, For early when her country called For sons to face the foe, She waved the Red, the White, and Blue As others went to be enrolled, And urged her son to go. For years of fierce and bloody strife Had passed, and all the world, Was threatened by the foe, Should mothers lead a selfish life While others freedom s flag unfurled? She promptly answered "No." 30 By victory the world was freed From brutal hosts and kings, Their battle forces driven In doubt and fear while she can read The "Honor Roll," her thoughts take wings O er seas, and up to heaven. And so throughout our land of pride In lonely cot and home, The mothers brave and true, Await their sons by fireside, Who bravely fought, and bravely died, Until the great review. 1919. 31 AWAKE, PLYMOUTH! BEHOLD THE DAY! For which our fathers fought at Bunker Hill That Kings and Autocrats should yield, and bide HIS Sovereign Will. ARISE, YE MEN! Avoid the life of selfishness and ease, God s battlefield is HERE, and THERE across The stormy seas. AWAKE, PLYMOUTH ! A mighty host of the departed Saints Are calling from Heaven s battlements "GUARD WELL THY GATES!" 32 70TH ANNIVERSARY PLYMOUTH S INVITATION An inspiration from Dr. Hillis sermon of those looking from the Battlements. From all the Heavenly Spaces Where throng familiar faces, Of those who move in great array; We summon you to meet us, And with your presence cheer us, On these Home Coming Days. From distant homes and firesides, Wherein Plymouth love abides, Our Welcome goes to you today. Come to your home and cheer us, And with your love endear us, On these Home Coming Days. Plymouth greets you from afar Space and distance do not bar, You who have gone so far away. Join with us in "Auld Lang Syne" And with us in keeping time, On these Home Coming Days. Memories of the past recall, Names that once were on the roll, Plymouth s Sons and loving Daughters; Scenes like these can never last, Let us not forget the past, On these Home Coming Days. 33 SING IT NOW If you have a song to sing, Sing it now. Sing it now, Ere your youthful notes take wing Sing of a perennial Spring, And the joy that it will bring, Sing it now. Sing it now. If you have a life to mend, Mend it now. Mend it now, Ere your journey has an end, As adown life s tide you tend, Jesus Christ will be your friend, Mend it now. Mend it now. If you have a friend to cheer, Cheer him now. Cheer him now, Life is full of sorrow here, Now a smile, and then a tear, Make heatts 1ad while you re here, Cheer them now. Cheer them now. Do life s work while here you can, Do it now. Do it now. Meet your trials like a man, Brief and rapid is life s span, Study well how best to plan. Do it now. Do it now. Further on you ll serve the King, Serve Him now. Serve Him now. With all the talents you can bring, Work and serve and gladly sing, Ere your youthful notes take wing, Serve Him now. Serve Him now. 1921. 34 THE FRIENDS OF YEARS LONG AGO My dear, I have traveled the same paths today We followed in years long ago, The birds were trilling their joyful lay, The sky was as fair and the children^at play As we were in years long ago. The faces we knew and the friends who were dear As they were in years long ago, Were not there to greet me, to welcome and cheer, As lonely I walked my eyes dropped a tear For the friends of years long ago. Toward the stream by the hills I wended my way As we did in years long ago, The path lined by daisies was trodden today By the boys and the girls as lively and gay As we were in years long ago. I went to the mound on the bank of the stream Where we sat in years long ago, Those days passed through my thoughts like a dream As the clouds go by, but yet it did seem You were there as in years long ago. By the same path returning, I pondered full well O er the memories of years long ago, When together we trod the same path to the dell ; Some charming sprite cast o er me a spell As I thought of years long ago. Why dwell that I, on the years gone by, On the life of years long ago? And I turned to look at the starlit sky, And thought of the worlds and the homes on high, Where we hope soon to meet, both you and I, With the friends of years long ago. 1916. 35 "There s not the smallest orb which thou beboldest But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubim, Such harmony is in immortal souls; But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it." Shakespeare. 1920. UNIVERSAL MELODY When borne on angel wings, Through depths of space they fly, Immortal spirits sing, While piercing clouds and sky. The birds attune their song, To Heavens seraphic lyre, All voices here belong To God s eternal choir. All melody of joyful life, That fill the earth and sky, Lost in this world of strife, Shall greet us by and by. 36 1915. LIFE There is no death if hearts of love Are friends of Jesus Christ the Lord , The soul departs to realms above To dwell with him in sweet accord. Why fear to go from life s unrest, From sin and sorrow, toil and pain, When there are friends our lips have pressed, Waiting to greet us once again. Cheer the dying, serve the living, Falter not in saying adieu, Life s best work is in the giving, For He shall prove his promise true. SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS Rain drops patter on the heath, Give life and beauty to the flowers, Enriching all that lie beneath, Tokens of One who sends the showers. None can count them, only One Who sends the sun to draw up high Waters, that to the ocean run, Return again pure from the sky. 37 SPRING AND WINTER We love the verdant Spring, And the songs of the sinuous rill, Whose voices in unison ring With the notes of the whip-poor-will. The charm of its glorious morning Wakes voices in mountain and glen, And voices of those once adorning Our homes, come to us again and again. When evening with shadows appear, And the birds flee to their nests, Thoughts of those we hold dear, Hallow Spring as harbinger of rest. And Winter s cold and snow-capped hills, With icy blasts threatening our undoing Binds up the rivers, lakes and rills, And then resigns to Springtime w T ooing. And so the years complete with season s blest, By One who sees the sowing and the reaping For those who labor here are but a test For years eternal in the Master s keeping. 38 NATURE S LAWS This summer day in June, we turn aside From store and mill to watch the human tide Which flows from city streets to seek a rest And fling themselves upon the Earth s cool breast. We see the valleys dressed in perfect green, The bleating sheep are resting by the stream That flows by mountainside and gently bends Until it meets the river, where it ends. f But let us climb the mountain steep and find A peak above the rest, where human kind Are loath to go, and where the air is pure ; We will have found a restng place secure. The peak is barren ; naught of life we see ; But here is evidence that once a tree Had tried to grow, until by famine died And fell among the rocks as if to hide. Below, is proof that nature s laws are sure To clothe the Earth with flora and verdure. But without food and frequent showers and sky, The wind-dropt seed may sprout, but droop and die. The clod which we despise in Mother Earth, From which all things in nature have their birth, May be, when fashioned by the workman s eye, A VASE, reflecting all the beauty of the sky. The laws of nature have a counterpart In Spirit Life, and Service of the heart, Unless we re fed with manna from on High, The famished soul will faint and droop and die. 1921. 39 SPRING Spring- is here and the south winds blow, The robin, our childhood friend of song, With scarlet breast she falls her nest, We grieve when late we find her gone. Buds appear and pussy-willow, Madrake flowers, and wild blue-bell, Violets blue on green mossy pillow, Streamlets running deep in the dell. Showers unveil the sleeping arbutus, Beauty of hillside, mountain and glen, Unrivalled there s none to confute us, A token of love from Heaven to men. 40 1915. JUNE We welcome June, the month of birds and flowers, The time of all the year when life is best, And we re enriched by many passing- showers; The Earth has tolled its round of seasons, blest. Robins and starlings flit from tree to tree, Their voices fill the air with mirth and song, All nature joins in tuneful melody From morn till night, then wait the early dawn. The fickle trout seen in the mountain brook, Invites the ardent sportsman to the wilds And flirts awhile the angler s fly and hook Until the bait the simple fish beguiles. The zephyrs lend a charm throughout the day, The longest days of all the passing year, When joys on earth lure us to live and stay With Nature s friends, who fill our lives with cheer. Wild flowers bloom in mountain air, unseen, And fragrant roses shed their perfumes, rare, We long to rest in pensive mood and dream Of realms beyond this life of toil and care. 41 OCTOBER The gladsome year is nearly spent, She blushes in her charming dress Of autumn, bright with radiant hues; The orchards bow, the limbs are bent With golden weight of peach and pear And other fruits, both rich and rare. Then let us look upon the scene; The lake reflects the glorious sight, That skirts the hills down to the shore, Of colors much the artist s dream, The sun with bright autumnal rays Adds health and wealth and length of days. Then out unto the woods ye men, Who linger long at desk and store ; The forests full of health and wealth You cannot gain within the door Or din of city streets and mills; Take; one day off, roam woods and hills. Lake Winola, Pa,, Oct., 1915. 42 SPRING VOICES Spring seems so near to me That I rejoice, And in my dreams I hear Your loving voice. When violets bloom again And berries red Shall kiss the falling rain On mossy bed Our hearts shall beat as one, Our eyes shall see, When Spring and You are come To join with me, A friendship that shall last Through all Eternity. 1916. 43 1917. SLEEP * I rest, dear Lord, my eyes are closed, The darkness shields me from the light, I seek from work a sweet repose, But cannot hide me from Thy sight. And when I need no light of Sun, Thou art the same altho I sltep, Forever, as my journey s run, My footsteps upward Thou wilt keep. No thoughts of mine can well conceive The things which Thou hast for Thy fold, And in this life I shall not grieve, For all Thy love Thou hast not told. If I shall sleep, or if I wake, I choose not in my heart to say, I yieid my will for His dear sake, Thou art the Light, the Life, the Way. 44 1914. LONELY Dear Wife, the keeper of my home, My joy, my pride and heart s solace, When far away I seek to roam, My thoughts revert to thy dear face. Thy love shall light the evening gloom, And fill the cup of joy divine, The course of years unite us soon, No more to part throughout all time. Alone I tread on life s highway, The flowers, which once were all in bloom We gathered home to cheer the day, Are withered now, alas, too soon. The World and all it has to give Of pleasure, wealth, or choral song Are vain to lure me while I live, "To wake and always find you gone." 45 TO MOTHER Mother, how oft thy hallowed name Has passed my lips with greater flame, Since you went home. The loneliness of each passing year Brings with it less of earthly cheer When I m alone. I miss thy loving heart s embrace, The joy and radiance of thy face So lit with love. A lonely sense of grief and pain, Of doubt if we shall meet again Beyond life s shore. Until this Easter day doth bring To us the promise of thy King That home is near. And thou art near for Heaven is home, And we are not to tread alone The King s highway. For Christ hath risen to prove that He Hath won o er death a victory For you and me. His spirit dwells with those whose faith Looks up to Calvary and death With joy supreme. This World is then a stepping stone, And Christ is here, we re not alone To pass beyond. He ll aid us well, for He ll abide Until beyond we ve passed the tide And reached the shore. Then Mother dear, the loved, the saved Shall speak to us beyond the grave Of Victory. And loving hearts shall then embrace And see the radiance of thy face, Perfect in love. 1915. 46 SOWING AND REAPING A babe lay fondly on its mother s breast, So pure from Heaven, by Angels given, To her a gift whom One hath blest. A little child went tripping down the street, In haste to play throughout the day, Till homeward turn its weary feet. A youth, whose restless years are in the "teens," When all is gay whiles time away, In building castles as he dreams. He seems at last to be a world-wise man, Of mature years and business cares, To garner well throughout life s span. In haste to reap what other hands have sown, He soils his name for wealth and fame, Bonds, stocks and fields he claims to own. In riper years his health and wealth have fled, His friends are few of those he knew, Some are like him and some are dead. His sons are treading in the steps he trod, With aims akin, riches to win, Neglecting health, virtue and God. A youth whose thoughtful years were more sedate, Resolved to live and freely give His life to serve his home and State. By faith and honest toil his gains were few, With noble minds great wealth he finds, His pleasures grew, his friends were true. To fame and wealth he scorned to be a slave, He kept his health and with his wealth To aid mankind he freely gave. When ebbed life s tide and sunset skies at last Brought hope anew of promise true, He looked with pride on all the past 1915. 48 BE VALIANT Be valiant, O my soul! To reach a higher goal In fairer lands; Where light effulgent beams Where on celestial wings No hindrance bars. Beyond, above our mortal ken, Our eyes shall see Somewhat of its immensity, A world sublime. Be patient, O my soul! Do well to reach thy goal, And falter not. By cheerful service done, If well thy race is run, Rich thy reward. The Master taught the way To live and serve each day Our fellow men, And when the strife is o er We reach the farther shore, All shall be well. 49 AN ARTIST S BIRTHDAY When from the realms of space Thy spirit came to Mother Earth, Beauty, Art and gentle Grace Were heralds of thy birth. Dame Nature strives to win the heart, The woodlands vie with meadows green, The sunset s glow and Nature s art All brought to you a joy supreme. You grew to love the woodlands too, And sketch the tints of sunset skies, Meadows and hills you wandered through, And plucked the flowers of Nature s dyes. And you are servant of them all, Time will not come when they shall cease To give thee pleasure at thy call, Until with life you find release. If you shall serve and not forget Affection s claim in memory s urn, Future j^ears may follow yet, And joyful birthdays may return. 50 1917. JESUS Gently, Lovingly, He pleads for thee, No friend that ever you have found, Can speak to you so truthfully Of sins that in your heart abound. No one can heed His loving voice, And turn with open heart to hear, Who will not listen and rejoice In serving Him with love, sincere. What joy can fill a faithful heart! What peace and patience there abide! The storms of life can never part Such friends throughout life s ebbing tide. Forever then our Song shall be On earth, in Heaven, for evermore, In life and death, Eternity, To Him who loving, we adore. 51 IN MEMORY OF J. FRANKLIN BURKE The passing years have not changed this, The new born child brings only gladness, But passing to a World of Bliss Of those we love, leaves only sadness. When one whose life has seemed to be Divinely traced in imagery Of Him who walked in Galilee, Why should we yield to sadness? To our dear friend we did not say "Farewell, great heart" or an "adieu," He lives to greet on other day All those whose faith and love are true. There is no death since Jesus wept, And bowed His head upon the Cross. The Saints have all their vigils kept, And loving hearts shall not be lost. Life is but a treasure we hold, Bestowed upon all from riches above, More precious to us than silver or gold, Finding fruition in "Faith, Hope and Love." 52 I m told this world cannot compare With that which is beyond, The sea and land, the clouds and air, The mountain peaks and sunsets fair, Of which I am so fond, Cannot compare with that which is beyond. 53 When Westmooreland County, Pa., was first settled by the New England colonists under the Connecticut charter, which was granted by Charles I, they came In conflict with settlers under the William Penn charter, given by Charles II. Both parties claimed the land embraced in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Bradford, Susquehanna, Pike, Wayne and Wyoming counties. The Pennamite wars continued prior to, and after the Revolution. The settlers from Con necticut and Massachusetts crossed and recrossed the Pocono mountains in great distress. A few died from exhaustion while crossing the wilderness. I have seen the mounds as I traveled over the Pocono, which mark the graves of thoes who perished. The reference to the morning mist relates to the sea. of fog which some times rest in the valleys and which can be seen while crossing from Pocono Summit toward Delaware Water Gap. THE POCONO MOUNTAINS Ye templed host, what charms appear To greet the traveler from the plain, And now thy mountain tops are dear To those who seek them once again. Thy rugged cliffs are scarred with age, They tell of Time s remorseless hand, The hand that wrote upon the page Of time, when storms beset the land. Of storms within and storms without, Which raised thy crest and smote thy back, The heat and ice and fires, no doubt, For ages wrought thy upward track. When Winter with its pall of snow O er tops thy barren crest with white, And blizzards fill the vales below, We view the wilderness of the night. Within the confines of thy caves, The wolves have had secure a lair, E en unto years of recent days The wilds have sheltered deer and bear. When from Westmorelands strife and hate, Of Whites and Indian claims to land, Fled those who trod with tired feet, They crossed thy wilds a weary band. 54 1915. When from Wyoming s scenes of strife, New England s settlers sought retreat From all they held most dear in life, They laid their dead down at thy feet. When traveling toward the rising sun, And o er the vale a mist of white Floats as an ocean tide that s run, We gaze in wonder and delight. Thy streams and lakes of water pure, Reflect the forest trees above, Thy pearly fountains shall endure, Tokens of God s abundant love. So all thy mounts are hallowed towers, To stand while storms above them lower, Thy Architect reveals His power, That we may worship and adore. 55 LAKE GEORGE The storm has passed, the mountain peaks Stand out in beauty toward the sky, Each pinnacled tree as if it seeks To pierce the clouds as they go by, The clouds of gold, purple and green All colors and shades you ve ever seen. The lake is covered with sunlit sheen, Its ripples reflect the rising sun, The shores are fringed with foliage green, The rivulets sing as down they run From Mountain side and inward wold, And reach the shore, free, pure and cold. The Iroquois braves have trod these shores, * The Mohawks traced each bay in canoe, The French and English foes, with oars Have crossed and fought in armed bateau. In ages past the Indian brave Has wooed his maiden by the lake, No stones are here to mark his grave, No one survives to well relate The story of fisher, hunter and brave Who lived by the lake in tepee and cave. The red men who lived, hunted and died, Are silent in graves along the shore, The kin he loved who fought by his side, Live in tradition, and are seen no more. Many pale faces now tread the paths Which the red men trod for many years, Thef boys and girls here pledge their troth And then break camp with subdued tears, Return again and renew their pledge By moonlight, camp fire or mountain ledge. 1919. 56 "It is a crime to shoot a Doe" A TRAGEDY OF THE HUNT December winds sweep o er barren peaks, That graced Pocono s wild ranged mounts, Which reach from Lackawanna s vale, Unto the Delaware s craggy steeps; And in the vales far down the rugged slopes, Are myriad leaves dropped from barren trees, And depths of snow flakes drifted down, Half hidden from the mid-day sun, Which melts the snow to rivulets as down they run, O er meadows green abundant rains have fed, On to the foot hills where the river bends, And runs its course ice bound unto the water Gap. This is the Hunter s Paradise Within this Vale the hunters echoing gun Alarmed the Deer, and birds upon the wing There fled a Wounded Doe, fleet of foot to run Across the Stream, and while the woodlands ring With shot on shot, she gained with every leap, Where forest depths are wild she sought to hide, With faltering steps when weary were her feet, She rested there beneath the Pines, and died. 1919 58 IN A COUNTRY DOCTOR S OFFICE It s evening, and the days are long, From far and near the motely throng, The rich and poor, the weak and strong, Have come to tell their pains and ills, And take the doctor s squills and pills. On every chair, and couch, and ledge, They re seated; and upon the pegs The hats are hung; with outstretched legs They wait in turn for each to tell Their aches and pains, for none are well. Though one is blind and some are lame All tell their troubles just the same, They kill the time for that s their game To hold the doctor s close attention, And dodge some things they dare not mention. A corner loafer had the cjjfolic, When out one night he had a frolic ; He drank his fill of diabolic, Of John Barleycorn and gin, His wife she had to take him in. Another with a jaunded pace, Whose eyes were yellow, and his face Showed he had nearly run his race; It was every one s conclusion, But he indulged in an illusion. Another had a tale to tell One day was sick, and next day well, In fact he had a lazy spell, He thought the doctor s iron tonic, Would brace him up. "He d bet upon it." But this was queerest case of all, A guy who went to make a call, Backed out of door while in the hall, And stubbed his heel against the sill, He tumbled back into a mill, Just out the door. His girl she laughed // broke his heart, and ma^e him daft. And when the crowd had gone away, And everyone was made to pay, All the Doctor had to say, Was, "I ve a wad that satisfies. The world is full of jays and guys, Enlarge the house and let them come What they give me, don t go for rum". 1920 59 THE CITY S WALL STREET This is the field of blood and death That lies in the city s Wall Street. This is the hail of iron and steel That smote the people on the field Of the city s Wall Street. These are the people, all torn and dire, All cut and burned by the hail and fire; These are the victims, the old and young, Shot to death by a hidden gun On the city s Wall Street. This is the rig, the bomb and shot We ve found all this, but not the shop Where the horse was shod. We ll hope to see Who charged the gun with T.N.T. To maim and kill on Wall Street This is the man with a brawny arm And darkened mien, who gave the alarm And drove the horse which drew the cart Of death for many a victim s heart Who lay on the city s Wall Street. These are the men of foreign birth The flotsam and jetsam of all the earth Who sent the man with the hidden gun To kill the people on the run Who fell and died on Wall Street. These are the sons of native birth Of a nation, the best of all the earth, Who publish and talk sedition and fire And vie with the devil, the greatest liar, About the people of Wall Street 60 1920 Long we ve endured the crimes of years, The slaughter, pain and widow s tears, Wreck of homes by those who kill On streets, railroads, and in the mill, Entreaty, warnings and God s own word, Will not avail to stop this herd Of men we ve sheltered of foreign birth The flotsam and jetsam of all the earth. And this is the nation of which we boast, That feeds and shelters this criminal host In every city and state and town. The arm of the law should run them down And send them back from whence they came, Or hang them high with the brand of Cain, For their hellish crime on Wall Street 61 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. Form L9-42m-8, 49(B5573)444 THE UP.KAttY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANftEL ro nice 3 535* Great war antft