In the Fields

. . . Endymion . . . . . Silence With a Friend . Everlasting . . . . Common Things . . . . Youth 8 . Gathering Trailing Arbutus . a Undine . . . . A Butterfly in Autumn . . . The Saxifrage . . . The Lovers Question . . . The Brook . . . Going Early . Atalanta . . . Each in Its Sphere Her Choice . We Have Need of all These Things When I Am Gone . The Seeker . Doubt .. . . Autunli Song . . . Beside a Grave . . . The hlothers Child . . Recogilition . . . . . . Apples . . . . Tell Me . . The Iresent Heaven . CONTENTS. vii A Winter View . . . . . . 115 Renewal. . . . . Driving Home the Cows What I Vould Do Second Childhood PatsDoll . . Birds in Autumn . . The Dead Horse . Rcd-Riding-Hood . Give and Tale . Cradle Song . . Wishing and Working . Grandmothers Cap . Little Sister . . The Organ Player . Brothers Bedtime . Pop-Corn . . The Sno6- ird . . Counting the Cost IN THE FIELDS. N the fields, that far and wide Reach from dawn to sunset line, 4 Through all chance and change abide Treasure and estate of mine. Blessed are my vales and hills Overspread by happy flocks, Watered by unnumbered rills FIashing mid the trees and rocks. Whence my title, wouldst thou know Not for monies duly told, Not by deeds of valid show I my acres count and hold . But by law these forms above-Old as time, yet neer outgrown, - What we recognize and love In very truth, becomes our own. So may we obtain supplies From the knowledge earth has won, From the ordering of the skies, From the affluence of the sun. And by kindred senses fine In this life of each in all, I have heritage divine, I am linked to great and small. I am wiser, that the rose Blossoms with her radiant throng, That the untaught birdling knows All his wondrous arts f song. Richer, for the gold-dust poured On the wings of butterflies, And the cells with honey stored That the cunning bees devise. Not the summer oilly shares Royal bounty with my fields, Every season harvest bears And unfailing fortune yields. Thus. free largess I receive, IVhile the owners of the soil, Labor on from dawn till eve, Worn and bowed with care and toil Nature unto them is dear Only to be bought and sold Not for them her works are fair, And her oracles are told. Though with broader-reaching years Still I add to my estates, 1. aught of mine conflicts with theirs, Neither for the other waits While my portions guarded well In creations living soul, They hold fast the form, the shell, Dreaming they possess the whole. NOON. T HOU perfect hour of radiant sky, 4 And blooming earth, and sparkling sea. Whereer my shadowy fancy turns, Thy flashing glories answer me. Oh touch this dazzling world with change, Invoke the breezes loitering nigh, And beckon yonder fleecy cloud To veil thy light too keen and high. Go, hasten from the zenith down Into the lowlands of the west, Where folded blossoms nod and dream, And vespers soothe the soul to rest