And verse and music uttered rarer Tones of more godlike speech; Though the utmost life of life's best hours But children never heard them, never They felt a child's foot leap and run,- WH A CHILD'S FUTURE HAT will it please you, my darling, hereafter to be? Free as the wind when the heart of the twilight is stirred heard; Free-and we know not another as infinite word. Darkness or twilight or sunlight may compass us round, Free in oppression of grief as in ardor of joy, Freedom alone is the salt and the spirit that gives Life, and without her is nothing that verily lives: Death cannot slay her; she laughs upon death, and forgives. Brightest and hardiest of roses anear and afar, Glitters the blithe little face of you, round as a star; Liberty bless you and keep you to be as you are. England and liberty bless you and keep you to be Worthy the name of their child and the sight of their sea: Fear not at all; for a slave, if he fears not, is free. XXIV-896 ADIEUX À MARIE STUART UEEN, for whose house my fathers fought, They gave their lives, and I, my queen, Seeing your brave star burn high between The strife that lightened round their spears My song. But still through strife of time and thought Your light on me too fell; Queen, in whose name we sang or fought, Farewell. II There beats no heart on either border Long since it fired with love and wonder Blithe midsummer made banquet under Soft sang the burn's blithe notes, that gather And air and trees and sun and heather Old border ghosts of fight or fairy Or love or teen, These they forgot, remembering Mary The Queen. Queen once of Scots, and ever of yours Whose sires brought forth for you Their lives to strew your way like flowers, Adieu. Dead is full many a dead man's name, Time past: shall this too fare the same, But surely, though it die or live, All that a man may think to give No darkness cast of years between Man's love will never bid my queen IV Love hangs like light about your name No heart can take of you a tame Yet, when your very face was seen, Oh, diamond heart unflawed and clear, The whole world's crowning jewel! Was ever heart so deadly dear So cruel? Yet none for you of all that bled Grudged once one drop that fell: Not one to life reluctant said Farewell. 14324 V Strange love they have given you, love disloyal, To leave a head so rare and royal Too low for praise or blame. You could not love nor hate, they tell us; In God's name, then, what plague befell us "Some faults the gods will give," to fetter But surely you were something better No maid that strays with steps unwary But one to live and die for: Mary, VI Forgive them all their praise, who blot Adieu. Yet some you hardly would forgive They never saw your lip's bright bow, The bluest of heavenly things below Clear eyes that love's self finds most like A sword-blade's blue, A sword-blade's ever keen to strike Adieu. VII Though all things breathe or sound of fight To bid you were to bid the light Farewell the song says only, being Yet, well-nigh as with flash of tears, That took your praise up twenty years Ago. More bright than stars or moons that vary, Here, after all these years, Queen Mary, |