Project Gutenberg's The Comet and Other Verses, by Irving Sidney Dix This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Comet and Other Verses Author: Irving Sidney Dix Release Date: March 5, 2013 [EBook #42265] Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMET AND OTHER VERSES *** Produced by Nicole Henn-Kneif, Greg Bergquist and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) [Transcriber's Note: Variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error: Page 012, Line 292: "sprits" --> "spirits" Line 295: "evermore" --> "evermore." Page 028, Line 981: "decendeth" --> "descendeth" Line 1001: "Autnmn" --> "Autumn" Page 033, Line 1224: "the" --> "the" Tags of decorative illustrations have been removed. Italic printed text has been formatted as _text_.] _The_ Comet and Other Verses By Irving Sidney Dix COPYRIGHT 1910 PRICE 15 CENTS THE COMET and OTHER VERSES By IRVING SIDNEY DIX DEDICATION To the Memory of my school mate William Morgan who was drowned in the Delaware. _Press of Munn's Review_ _Carbondale, Penna._ With the Reader It should be stated that some of these verses, in a slightly different form, have previously appeared in various periodicals in Binghamton, Scranton, Philadelphia and New York City, but most of them appear here for the first time, and also, perhaps it should be mentioned that some of these stanzas were written during my school days. However, the majority of the following verses have been composed since the former booklet was published. And if in any way you have been helped to see, that even here in this rugged country "the poetry of earth is never ceasing," however rude my interpretation of it may seem to the critical, the labor and expense of publishing this little volume will be fully justified. IRVING DIX. Contents _Page_ The Comet 7 Washington 8 The Storm 10 Jim, the Newsboy 11 March Wind Blow 12 The Rime of the Raftmen 13 A Child's Elegy 16 Dreaming of the Delaware 17 Norma 18 Plant a Tree 21 Maid of Shehawken 21 To the Delaware 22 Starlight Lake 24 An Inquiry 25 Twin Lake 26 The Man Who Swears 27 The Glen 28 Hope 30 Lines to Liars 31 Fooling 32 ADVERTISEMENT The Comet--15 cents The Silent Life--15 cents Both Booklets--25 cents These booklets are not published as a financial venture--they are likely to be a failure in this direction, for the cost of printing alone equals the selling price, on account of the small number issued, only 250 copies, and fifty copies are not for sale. Five hundred copies of the Silent Life were printed in 1907, and I have left only 160 copies for sale. I desire to dispose of these and the small edition of "The Comet" during the present year, so that another booklet (containing, I hope still better material) may be issued during the year of 1911. To those who may wish to send copies of either of these booklets to their friends, thereby assisting in the disposal of this edition, the following offer will be of interest. Ten copies, assorted to suit--$1.00. Address: IRVING DIX, Shehawken, Wayne Co., Penna. Foreword A few years ago, while recovering from an illness, I conceived the idea of writing some reminiscent lines on country life in the Wayne Highlands. And during the interval of a few days I produced some five hundred couplets,--a few good, some bad and many indifferent--and such speed would of necessity invite the indifferent. A portion of these lines were published in 1907. However, I had hoped to revise and republish them, with additions of the same type, at a later date as a souvenir volume of verses for those who spend the summer months among these hills--as well as for the home-fast inhabitants. But in substituting the following collection of verses I hope my judgment will be confirmed by those who chance to read these simple stanzas of one, who-- "Loves not man the less, but Nature more From those our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be or have been before, To mingle with the Universe and feel What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal." I. S. D. Copyright 1910 BY Irving Dix Verses in this booklet may be copied in the public prints by giving credit as above. The Comet Swift circuit-rider of the endless skies, Thou wanderer of the outer, unknown air, Amid those dim, uncharted regions there, Imagination droops--in deep surprise Man doth behold thee, and the fearful speed At which thou spurrest on thy flaming steed. Born of the dark and ever-deepening Past, Who nurs'd thee there in yonder viewless space Afar from earth--thy all-beholding face Hath gazed unspeakable, with clear eye cast Worldward on each magnificent return As if of human progress thou wouldst learn. And thou hast seen each triumph and each plan By which the human race since human time Hath learned at last Earth's secrets all-sublime While rising from the elements to man-- Hast seen it triumph over sea and air And universal knowledge hope to share. Thy circuit measures well the age of man, The epoch of a life--and few there be Who seeing thee, thy face again may see, For human life is but a little span, With varying cycles of a different day, And in diffusion wears itself away. Child of the Sun, when first the human eye Beheld thee coursing in the night afar Like an illumined spectre of a star-- Beheld thy awful form against the sky Strong men fell earthward with a coward-cry On their pale lips, as if afraid to die-- And that brute King--Nero, the cruel King, When looking on thy fiery face unknown, Sate trembling on his little human throne, And thought that thou didst evil tidings bring-- That thou wert writing on the distant skies A doom from which no human king could rise. Thy age is all unknown--man can but guess The time when first the Sun thy circle set-- He can but guess thy secret birth--and yet Observing thee his knowledge is not less; He knows each cycle, each return to be A moment in that vast eternity. Recording-comet of th' immortal space, What history thy eye hath look'd upon Since first thy airy, circling course was run! What fallen pride! What scatterings of race! Jerusalem and Nineveh and Rome Didst thou behold from thy almighty dome-- Didst thou behold--their birth, their rise, their fall-- Low humbled by the under hordes at last, With glory and fair triumphs in the past, And footprints of destruction over all. While thou, fleet comet, with a light divine Continueth upon the earth to shine. Speed on! swift comet--turn, wanderer, turn! And with thy flaming, god-like pen of light On heaven's scroll with burning letters write: Live but to love, O earth!--to love and learn, For while a comet's mighty cycles fail, Love,--love and truth forever shall prevail. Washington It is forever so--when there is need Of some clear, clarion voice to forward lead God raiseth up a man from his own seed; Not from the soft, luxurious lap of earth, But from a nobler soil, so that from birth The frame is moulded with a chosen food That has one only end--to make it good, Full generous, far-sighted, firm and keen, With strength to rise above the gross and mean-- The sordid selfishness that like a curse Drives from the heart the virtues it would nurse-- That love of country, freedom's holy cause, Justice, mercy, that eye for equal laws, Faith in the future and our fellow-men, Faith in the sword when shielded by the pen-- And so it was with us--when there was need Of one commanding voice to forward lead, God rais'd up here a man from His own seed; And so came forth the gentle Washington, Fair child of Fate, the nation's noblest son, Whom Virtue fostered and whom Virtue won. Some few there be whose feet knew rougher ground, But few indeed a loftier summit found-- Nurtured in tender soil, he held a path Where others faltered, heeding not the wrath Of any king or potentate or power-- His was the hero-heart--he saw the hour,-- He knew the mighty odds, yet would not cower. And when the tyrant's heel touch'd on our shore And thrust itself unbidden to our door,-- But Washington alone with eagle-eye Withstood the foe and taught him how to die; Repulsed, disheartened, driven to despair, He lifted up his voice in humble prayer, For in that awful night at Valley Forge He drank the bitter cup--he knew Fate's scourge, He felt her lash,--this tender-hearted George. Father of Liberty--thou Child of Light, Columbia's first-born, who in thy might Restored to Freedom her enfeebled sight-- If spirits of the nobler dead can hear, This day--thy natal day--press close thine ear And learn what we thy nation need to fear, And if the immortal dead can truly speak, Show us, O Child of Light, where we are weak,-- Grant us thy counsel (for thou art with God) And bear us wisdom where thy footsteps trod, And if thou seest aught of envious strife From virtue sapping all her sweeter life, Teach us, O Child of Light, a purer love, For thou hast learn'd of God--thou art above Thy weak and erring mortals here below Who see the light, yet forward fear to go-- Guide us, if spirits of the dead may guide, So that in peace we ever may abide, So that from land to sea, from shore to shore, We shall be brothers now and evermore. The Storm All day long the sky was cloudless, Life was waiting for a breath, And the heat was more oppressive Than the fear of sudden death; All day long the sun was shining In a hot and windless sky, And the trees were weak for water-- Earth and air were dead and dry. But e'er Night her wings had folded Came a welcome western breeze, Moving idly through the forest, Prophesying to the trees, Till above that dim horizon Giant clouds like warring foes Marshalled far in battle numbers As the wild winds wilder rose. Hark! O hear the double rumble As the thunder shakes the air, Like a thousand hoofs advancing In yon cloudy corral there!-- Look!--how red the lightning flashes! How the echoes roll and roll-- Dirges from some demon goddess-- How the bells of heaven toll! Like a lance, a flash of lightning Cuts the foremost cloud in twain And the thunder's mighty echo Rolls athwart the drenching rain Till the landscape fades like shadows In the driving sheets of spray, And the wind wails through the forest, And the great trees rock and sway. Soon the air is strangely solemn And the winds no longer blow To the thunder's distant drumming In the valley far below; And along the low horizon All the clouds are growing dim, While upon the western hilltops Rolls again the sun's red rim. And away across the valley In the heavens arching high, Like a bed for fairy flowers Swings the rainbow in the sky-- Swings until the shadows gather And the sun sinks out of sight, Seemingly to whisper softly To the world a fond good night. Jim, the Newsboy Jim, the newsboy, died today, So the evening papers say-- And the funeral will be In the afternoon at three-- "Please" (the papers say) "a flow'r Bring for Jim before the hour-- Any color that you deem A true token of esteem, If you would remember him-- The newsboy, Jim. At his corner near Broad street, Jim, tho' lame, would smiling greet With a merry, winning call All his patrons, great and small, And his fellow newsboys say That they miss him much today, And they have a tablet bought, And upon it this is wrought: "In memory of Newsboy Jim, We all liked him." Little toilers on Life's road To yon visionless abode, There was much of good in Jim Or the boys had disliked him; There was something in his heart That drew patrons to his mart, Something noble, something true-- Strive that it be said of you As in eulogy of Jim, "We all liked him." March Wind Blow Bitter March-wind, blow and blow; Drive away the drifting snow; Toss the tree-tops to and fro; Kiss the ice-bound lakes and streams And arouse them from their dreams. Happy March-wind, blithely blow, Winter's heart is full of woe, Winter's head is lying low; Bring, O bring the melting rain Back unto the earth again. Weeping March-wind, blow and blow Till thy tears of sorrow flow Down thy dying cheeks of snow-- Weep away! for man must wait Till those tearful winds abate. Merry March-wind, softer blow, Let the little children know Where the sweetest flowers grow; Let thy tender accents ring From the joyous harp of Spring. All ye wild-winds, blow and blow, Drive away the drifting snow, Bend the bushes, bend them low; Breathe upon the trembling sod Springtime's messages from God. The Rime of the Raftmen I The Delaware above the Rift Each bank is fast o'erflowing, And sweeping onward dark and swift, Wild and still wilder growing It hurls a heavy raft along Upon its rocking way, While the Captain's call the hills prolong At dawning of the day: Pull, lads, pull!--to Jersey side, The Rift is near! Pull, lads, pull!--for the high floods hide The ragged rocks like an ocean tide, And the river's rush I hear. II Safely the Rift is left behind, A careful stearsman stearing; Swiftly we speed, only to find A dizzy eddy nearing, Where rolling in the river-lake, And whirling round and round A dozen rafts the circle make, And warning cries resound: Pull, lads, pull!--Sylvania's shore! The Eddy's near! Pull, lads, pull!--till the sweeping oar Bends like a bow and you hear the roar Of the river in the rear. III The luring eddy lies behind Where the dizzy rafts are whirling, And we speed along with the cutting wind, The foam like suds up-curling, When ahead a sharp curve comes in sight And we hear the Captain call As the raft swerves sudden to the right And the ridges tower tall: Pull, lads, pull!--to Jersey side! The Bend I fear! Pull, lads, pull!--and soon we'll ride On the rolling wave to Trenton's tide With river calm and clear. IV The Bend is past, but the Water-gap Of the Delaware up-rearing, Looms far ahead like a narrow trap As fast our raft is nearing, And calm and deep the waters grow, And scarcely comes a sound Till the Captain's calling, to and fro Re-echoes far around: Rest, lads, rest!--a little while! Be of good cheer! Rest, lads, rest! till yonder isle We safely pass--a few more mile And all our course is clear. V Along the wave we smoothly glide Until the island clearing, When down we speed as with the tide, Now here, now there a veering, Until a great bridge lifts its form Against the evening sky, When like the rolling of a storm The crew repeats the cry: Pull, lads, pull!--Sylvania's shore! The Bridge is near! Pull, lads, pull!--the for'ard oar, And soon our dangerous task is o'er, And little need we fear. VI So on we speed; now fast, now slow; By isle and rift and eddy Until at length along we flow With movement firm and steady; And low and lower lie the hills, And wider spreads the vale, And soft the Captain's calling trills Upon the evening gale: Rest, lads, rest!--our work is done-- The danger's o'er! Rest, lads, rest!--another sun Will see a haven safely won By Trenton's friendly shore. A Child's Elegy We know her not whom once we knew, Who died it seems e'er death was due-- We know her not; she is asleep; Our hearts are dumb--we can but weep That one so young must bid adieu, Must part so soon from earthly view. Those tender feet we knew so late We hear no more; we can but wait To hear them in the House of God When dust to dust we tread the sod, For in that home of homes they wait For us beside the city's gate. Those little hands out-held in love, That in such innocence did move To fondle each familiar face Are still--they cannot now embrace As once they did so like a dove That weary parents would approve. Those little lips that met our own So sweetly when we were alone No more shall meet the lips of earth, Sealed up unto another birth; But when these larger lives have flown Our lips will meet; she will be known. Springtime was here--the birds would soon Have re-appeared--the birds would soon Have warbled from a new-built nest, Would soon have felt beneath their breast The little ones--and such a boon Had taught them still a sweeter tune. But of the little ones not all Will answer to the parent-call, Not all will learn to rise and fly-- Many are born, but some must die; Many will rise, but some must fall, And God knows best for each and all. This is the hope--we know not how-- This is the hope that lures us now, That makes the parting less of pain-- The hope that we shall meet again, And so while unto grief we bow The road beyond seems brighter now. Dreaming of the Delaware I I have been far away from the Delaware's shore, From the river where once I did play, But I'm dreaming tonight by the old cottage door Where the moonlight is gleaming bright as day. REFRAIN: Dreaming, dreaming, dreaming of that dear old stream, Dreaming of the days that are no more-- The days so bright and fair, Dreaming in the moonlight gleaming on the shore Of the dear old Delaware. II And the river is still, and so peaceful tonight That its murmur I scarcely can hear, And across it the moonlight is beaming so bright That the scenes of my childhood appear. III And I think of my mother who bade me farewell And the sister who kist me good-bye-- They are sleeping below in that beautiful dell But methinks that again they are nigh. IV Long deserted has been the old river home, My old home by the dear Delaware, But never, O never again will I roam From the scenes of my childhood so fair. V I will cherish the dreams I am dreaming tonight, Will upbuild the old homestead once more, And perhaps when I'm dead, for another's delight It will bloom by the Delaware's shore. REFRAIN. Norma A Legend of the Wayne Highlands Along the lake's wild northern shore An island dark with trees Lies shadow-like, and o'er and o'er At midnight thru a leafy door Comes music on the breeze, Sweet music on the breeze, Where sad-eyed Norma dreams, And o'er the wave, in thru the trees The mellow moonlight streams. And Norma's voice is sweet to hear As the breathing of a bell; But while so welcome to the ear Of any one afar or near, The notes, O few can tell! The notes, O few can tell! Falling so wildly sweet, Like the mournful ringing of a bell With the tones still incomplete. How came this maid upon the isle Within the Hills of Wayne? Why sings she sweetly all the while As if to ease her self-denial? Why sings she a refrain At the lonely midnight hour On an island dark with trees, Enchanting souls unto her bower By such sweet melodies? The legend runs:--That long ago A lover came to woo, But left her--why?--(no man doth know) For while her love like wine did flow Away from her he drew-- He drew from her away, While she was left forlorn And ever (so the legends say) Did daily for him mourn. But Norma left her home one night When all were fast asleep And angel-like she trod the light Moonpath across the waters bright Until she ceased to weep, Until she ceased to weep, Singing a sweet, sweet song That on the lake that lay asleep The night-wind did prolong. And after Norma's death, one day A knock at her father's door Announced the lad who went away When both were lovers young and gay, Who now would love her more Than any other maid, Yes, any other maid, Saying, O where is Norma now, Where is my sweetheart now? O Youth, my daughter is not here-- She waited, waited long To hear the voice she held more dear Than all the rest--nor could we cheer Her with another song; But many hear her sing By the island,--sing so sweet That never, never can they bring The song to me complete. The lover sadly turned away And vowed that he would know The song complete e'er dawn of day And followed where the moonpath lay Upon the lake below, Where Norma sang of love On the island dark with trees That cast deep shadows on the cove, And his heart was ill at ease. At midnight o'er the moonlit wave He bent his little boat, Till he heard the song the soft winds gave, But if his life that song might save, He could not tell a note! He could not learn a note! Tho' many, and many, and many a night In the lovely moonpath gleaming bright He listened from his boat. But the song he never, never knew Altho' he listened long, And so it is--is ever true When hearts withhold a love long due; For Love sings one sweet song, One sweet familiar song, At thy heart's door today, And knocking, waits, but waiting long Forever turns away. Plant a Tree The Past unto the Present cries-- Arise, ye more than blind, arise! For I who fell the forest low Would now another forest grow, But what is done I cannot mend, So unto you a message send-- Much did I do for you, for me Plant a tree, Plant a tree. The Present, waking from its sleep, Across the hills began to creep, And saw where Past had fallen far A noble forest, with a scar On many a wounded mountain side That from the elements would hide-- And answered:--Past, I will for thee Plant a tree, A forest tree. The feeling Future, yet unborn, Heard Present echoing her horn, And stirring somewhat in Life's cell Did try her dearest wish to tell, Whispering in an undertone: I--I shall reap as ye have sown, O heed the Past! and--thanks to thee-- Plant a tree, Plant a tree. Maid of Shehawken Maid of Shehawken, kind and true, I sing a fond farewell, But, maiden, though I sing adieu, My love I cannot tell-- My love I cannot tell to thee For parting gives me pain, Oh may I in the days to be Meet with thee once again. Maid of Shehawken, sweet and fair, Accept my humble praise, And may thy path be free from care, Full happy be thy days, And ever mid the lure of life Where e'er thy lot may be, In pleasant paths or weary strife-- Remember, I love thee. Maid of Shehawken, kind and true, Tho' far away we roam, Few places will we find, O few As sweet as our highland home, And tho' Life's pathway lead along The shining streets of gold, Our lips will never know a song As sweet as the songs of old. Maid of Shehawken, dearer far Than any that I know, Lighting my pathway like a star, Afar from thee I go, But tho' I leave the Hills of Wayne My heart is still with thee, O maiden, may we meet again In the days that are to be. To the Delaware Cease thy murmuring, Delaware, For thy many braves so fair Who are sleeping by thy stream-- Rouse them not--there let them dream. For upon that silent shore Indian's cry shall sound no more. There, where still the owlets cry And the solemn night-winds sigh, Let the victor's head remain With the spirits of the slain, Leave the warriors fast asleep Where the willows o'er them weep, For thy murmuring, Delaware, Cannot wake those sleeping there, For thy voice deep in the foam Cannot ever call them home. There, where low and high degree Sleep beneath the self-same tree, And where warriors small and great, Share in death a common fate, Leave the pale-face and the braves Side by side within their graves. There, where ridges lifting high Try to bridge the endless sky, And where willows bend like lead O'er the footprints of the dead-- To each brother slumbering there, Sing sweet songs, my Delaware. REQUIEM: Brave!--thy happy days have fled Into silence with the dead; Thy canoe, thy well-worn way, And thy bow are in decay. And no more thy camp-fires gleam By thy sweet, complaining stream; And I mourn thy ruthless fate; Weeping am I--but too late-- For upon that silent shore Indian's cry shall sound no more. Starlight Lake Well named thou art, O little lake Set in among the hills; Well named art thou,--each star doth make Reflected forms that fancies wake And memory fondly fills. And nightly on the rugged shore Each cot with ruddy beam Lights up thy face from pane and door And throws a stream of silver o'er Thy bosom like a dream. Thy hemlock hills, now dimly grown, Fling shadows on thy face, And to their branch the birds have flown, Except the owl, whose monotone The listening ear can trace. There, where the starlight thickly trails A path across thy wave, A passing boat a boatman hails Whose maiden crew still softly sails As with a pilot brave. While from thy shore a lithe canoe Shoots o'er thy bosom fair, Leaving behind a milk-white view As when the beaver paddled thru Thy waters unaware. Up rides the moon with rosy rim All silently and still, Chasing away the shadows dim That on thy surface seem to swim Like wood nymphs from the hill. Now midnight comes, and on thy shore No boatman plies his way, The cottage lights shine forth no more From window-pane or open door Where yet thy shadows play. Silent and strangely still is all; The stars like candles are, No echoes on the forest fall,-- Each lonely owl hath ceas'd to call His wood-mate from afar. Silent and calmly still is all; Dim Night is monarch now, His kingdom is the midnight air, The forests his attendants fair, Who, at his bidding, bow-- And stand like sentinels asleep Beneath the moon's wan beam, Until Aurora fair doth creep Above the hill where she doth keep Bright morn with welcome gleam. An Inquiry Speak, O speak, my angel fair, Is there sadness everywhere-- Folly where the flower feedeth Rapids where the river leadeth To delight? Is there, is there anything An eternal joy can bring-- What is real and what but seemeth Like a dream a dreamer dreameth Thru the night? Can there be, Angel of Love Can there be bright homes above-- What is Life--and when it endeth What is Death--why it descendeth I implore? Tell me, Angel, can it be That thy hand is leading me-- Tell me, are these seraphs singing Up in heaven, gladness bringing Evermore? Twin Lake In the Wayne Highlands The shadows fall on Twin Lake fair As crimson sets the Autumn sun; A holy hush is on the air Of eventide and day is done. No zephyrs kiss the little lake; So still and calm is either shore, That on her face dim shadows wake And deepen ever more and more. And where the long-leaf laurels grow A cuckoo sounds the hour of rest, And fondly answering far below Its mate is calling from her nest. Now comes the twilight, calm and still, And, with a cloak of sable hue, Half hides the lake and upland hill That faint and fainter fades from view. And through the broken web of night Each stalwart star with even ray Reflects upon the lake a light To guide a boatman on his way. And soon the massive moon doth ride Athwart the pine trees' heavy shade, That doth her fiery chariot hide, As an apparent halt is made. And sweetly from a maiden fair In yon canoe that skirts the shore A laugh rings out upon the air And echoes softly o'er and o'er Till dying on the distant hill, An evening silence settles far,-- A quietness, so calm, so still, With rising moon and silent star-- That peace, sweet peace subdues the soul, While on the clear and pensive air The bells of Como softly toll The ever-sacred hour of prayer. The Man Who Swears It is often, yes, often that the man who swears Is a man who dares and a man who cares; For the gentle voice and the eye of blue Will sometimes tell of a heart less true Than the rough, cold voice and manner stern-- And you some day this truth will learn:-- That often, yes, often that the man who swears Is a man who dares and a man who cares. When you are sick with fever and pain, Who comes to ease your weary brain? Is it the friend with the eyes of blue And gentle voice that comes to you, Or, is it the one with manner cold And voice so stern and ways so bold, That presses a hand on your fevered brow And soothes your troubled spirits now. When you are down and your friends are few, Who is it comes to comfort you? Is it the one with eyes so mild And voice as sweet as a little child-- Is it the one with gentle way That comes to you and dares to say:-- So sorry, friend; say, here's my hand, I'll do your bidding; now just command? When in misfortune you need a friend Who will fight for you to the bitter end-- Is it always the one who speaks quite low And fears to say what he knows, is so, Or is it the man who speaks his mind And shows some mettle--and hardly kind Whose heart is cold until your woe Melts an entrance as the sun melts snow? I would not say that swearing is right But I say some men are willing to fight-- It is wrong indeed for a man to swear, And I envy no one's weakness there-- Still I believe, with me you would say While one will swear and another pray You would follow the man who is willing to dare Tho one might pray and the other swear. The Glen Here Nature's nice adjusted tool Hath cut a chasm; and each pool Reflects a narrow, rocky room Where sun-born flowers seldom bloom, But where the ledging, level shelves Betray the dance hall of the elves. And overhead the tasseled trees Frown from the wall, and with each breeze Awake the solemn avenue, But hide from sight the upward view, When with a hundred harps they sing To Boreas their mighty king. Here Echo dwells in lonely mood, And answers to the dying wood; Unsuited to a varying rhyme She hath no voice for tuneful Time Content to speak as she hath heard The lyric wind, the singing bird. Here these same falls awoke the glen Long, long before the march of men; Long, long before yon broken soil Brought forth the fruit of human toil And here these falls will dance and play When feeling man has passed away. Sing little Falls; and echo Glen, Till silent are the songs of men And they that dwell upon the earth Have disappeared as at thy birth And senseless Rock--if think ye can, Think ye--how short the life of man! Hope Kind guardian of the Lonely Shore, And Sorrow's true and only friend, Comforting angel of the poor-- What heavenly spirit did descend With passive voice, with ways unknown, Within thy very self complete? O Hope, when left at last alone We fall a suppliant at thy feet And worship there, with heart forlorn From childhood's land of make-believe, Through early youth, the brightening morn, Till tottering age, the fading eve. And who could walk without thee, friend? Who walk dim paths without thy hand? From out the world shouldst thou ascend Blind Poverty would stalk the land; Despair would seize some simple knave And Hatred every evil one,-- O Hope, for more would seek the grave Without thy timely vision shown:-- The sick upon the lowly bed; The blind a-begging as of yore; The weeping child who works unfed; The prisoner by the fatal door, All, led along, still cling below To feel thy subtle charms so free, As wearily, drearily on they go, Following, following after thee. And when upon Life's field they fall, When Disappointment reigns supreme, Thy voice, omnipotent, would call E'en from the dust their fondest dream; Would call and wake the slumbering thought, And point it to some great ideal While adding all, but taking naught From out the present, living real. Then, Hope, thou sentinel of light By Disappointment's lonely shore, Speak out amid the depth of night And guide us safely evermore. Lines to Liars Let lawyers harp about the law, And all its majesty and might; They find in every case a flaw And think they're right. Let politicians praise the truth And laud its virtue to the sky-- They practice from their very youth To give the lie. Let prophets send the saints to heaven And damn poor sinners e'en to hell-- How such authority is given They cannot tell. Let doctors prate of human pain Alleviated by their skill, When Death's dull sickness comes, in vain Is every pill. Let poets pipe of bloody war And claim its carnal method right; They're only piping cowards, for Not one will fight. And so it seems we mortals boast Of knowledge where we know the least And show our ignorance the most Like any beast. Fooling He was a lad--a tender boy, And she--she held him as her toy, And when she wearied of his way And would with other playthings play, I heard him say beneath his breath:-- A fool am I; it is my death-- She jilted me--the little lass,-- I will not let such fooling pass But shift at once some bitter dart Back--back again into her heart, But then thought he--All those who play With fools are fools as well as they, And so he made a living rule:-- It takes a fool to fool a fool. End of Project Gutenberg's The Comet and Other Verses, by Irving Sidney Dix *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMET AND OTHER VERSES *** ***** This file should be named 42265.txt or 42265.zip ***** This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/2/6/42265/ Produced by Nicole Henn-Kneif, Greg Bergquist and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. *** START: FULL LICENSE *** THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license. Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. 1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United States. 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed: This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. 1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg-tm License. 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. 1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided that - You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work. - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. 1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. 1.F. 1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. 1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. 1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem. 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life. Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact For additional contact information: Dr. Gregory B. Newby Chief Executive and Director gbnewby@pglaf.org Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS. The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate. International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.