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O the Night； the Night； the solemn Night；
When Earth is bound with her silent zone；
And the spangled sky seems a temple wide；
Where the star…tribes kneel at the Godhead's throne；
O the Night； the Night； the wizard Night；
When the garish reign of day is o'er；
And the myriad barques of the dream…elves come
In a brightsome fleet from Slumber's shore！
O the Night for me；
When blithe and free；
Go the zephyr…hounds on their airy chase；
When the moon is high
In the dewy sky；
And the air is sweet as a bride's embrace！
O the Night； the Night； the charming Night！
From the fountain side in the myrtle shade；
All softly creep on the slumbrous air
The waking notes of the serenade；
While bright eyes shine 'mid the lattice…vines；
And white arms droop o'er the sculptured sills；
And accents fall to the knights below；
Like the babblings soft of mountain rills。
Love in their eyes；
Love in their sighs；
Love in the heave of each lily…bright bosom；
In words so clear；
Lest the listening ear
And the waiting heart may lose them。
O the silent Night； when the student dreams
Of kneeling crowds round a sage's tomb；
And the mother's eyes o'er the cradle rain
Tears for her baby's fading bloom；
O the peaceful Night； when stilled and o'er
Is the charger's tramp on the battle plain；
And the bugle's sound and the sabre's flash；
While the moon looks sad over heaps of slain；
And tears bespeak
On the iron cheek
Of the sentinel lonely pacing；
Thoughts which roll
Through his fearless soul；
Day's sterner mood replacing。
O the sacred Night； when memory comes
With an aspect mild and sweet to me；
But her tones are sad as a ballad air
In childhood heard on a nurse's knee；
And round her throng fair forms long fled；
With brows of snow and hair of gold；
And eyes with the light of summer skies；
And lips that speak of the days of old。
Wide is your flight；
O spirits of Night；
By strath； and stream； and grove；
But most in the gloom
Of the Poet's room
Ye choose； fair ones； to rove。
Richard Rowe。
Superstites Rosae
The grass is green upon her grave；
The west wind whispers low；
〃The corn is changed； come forth； come forth；
Ere all the blossoms go！〃
In vain。 Her laughing eyes are sealed；
And cold her sunny brow；
Last year she smiled upon the flowers
They smile above her now！
Soul Ferry
High and dry upon the shingle lies the fisher's boat to…night；
From his roof…beam dankly drooping； raying phosphorescent light；
Spectral in its pale…blue splendour； hangs his heap of scaly nets；
And the fisher； lapt in slumber； surge and seine alike forgets。
Hark！ there comes a sudden knocking； and the fisher starts from sleep；
As a hollow voice and ghostly bids him once more seek the deep；
Wearily across his shoulder flingeth he the ashen oar；
And upon the beach descending finds a skiff beside the shore。
'Tis not his； but he must enter rocking on the waters dim；
Awful in their hidden presence； who are they that wait for him？
Who are they that sit so silent； as he pulleth from the land
Nothing heard save rumbling rowlock； wave soft…breaking on the sand？
Chill adown the tossing channel blows the wailing； wand'ring breeze；
Lonely in the murky midnight； mutt'ring mournful memories；
Summer lands where once it brooded； wrecks that widows' hearts have wrung
Swift the dreary boat flies onwards； spray； like rain； around it flung。
On a pebbled strand it grateth； ghastly cliffs around it loom；
Thin and melancholy voices faintly murmur through the gloom；
Voices only； lipless voices； and the fisherman turns pale；
As the mother greets her children； sisters landing brothers hail。
Lightened of its unseen burden； cork…like rides the rocking bark；
Fast the fisherman flies homewards o'er the billows deep and dark；
THAT boat needs no mortal's mooring sad at heart he seeks his bed；
For his life henceforth is clouded he hath piloted the Dead！
Sir Henry Parkes。
The Buried Chief
（November 6th； 1886）
With speechless lips and solemn tread
They brought the Lawyer…Statesman home：
They laid him with the gather'd dead；
Where rich and poor like brothers come。
How bravely did the stripling climb；
From step to step the rugged hill：
His gaze thro' that benighted time
Fix'd on the far…off beacon still。
He faced the storm that o'er him burst；
With pride to match the proudest born：
He bore unblench'd Detraction's worst；
Paid blow for blow； and scorn for scorn。
He scaled the summit while the sun
Yet shone upon his conquer'd track：
Nor falter'd till the goal was won；
Nor struggling upward； once look'd back。
But what avails the 〃pride of place〃；
Or winged chariot rolling past？
He heeds not now who wins the race；
Alike to him the first or last。
Thomas Alexander Browne （‘Rolf Boldrewood'）。
Perdita
She is beautiful yet； with her wondrous hair
And eyes that are stormy with fitful light；
The delicate hues of brow and cheek
Are unmarred all； rose…clear and bright；
That matchless frame yet holds at bay
The crouching bloodhounds； Remorse； Decay。
There is no fear in her great dark eyes
No hope； no love； no care；
Stately and proud she looks around
With a fierce； defiant stare；
Wild words deform her reckless speech；
Her laugh has a sadness tears never reach。
Whom should she fear on earth？ Can Fate
One direr torment lend
To her few little years of glitter and gloom
With the sad old story to end
When the spectres of Loneliness； Want and Pain
Shall arise one night with Death in their train？
。 。 。 。 。
I see in a vision a woman like her
Trip down an orchard slope；
With rosy prattlers that shout a name
In tones of rapture and hope；
While the yeoman； gazing at children and wife；
Thanks God for the pride and joy of his life。
。 。 。 。 。
Whose conscience is heavy with this dark guilt？
Who pays at the final day
For a wasted body； a murdered soul；
And how shall he answer； I say；
For her outlawed years； her early doom；
And despair despair beyond the tomb？
Adam Lindsay Gordon。
A Dedication
They are rhymes rudely strung with intent less
Of sound than of words；
In lands where bright blossoms are scentless；
And songless bright birds；
Where； with fire and fierce drought on her tresses；
Insatiable summer oppresses
Sere woodlands and sad wildernesses；
And faint flocks and herds。
Where in dreariest days； when all dews end；
And all winds are warm；
Wild Winter's large flood…gates are loosen'd；
And floods； freed from storm；
From broken…up fountain heads； dash on
Dry deserts with long pent up passion
Here rhyme was first framed without fashion
Song shaped without form。
Whence gather'd？ The locust's glad chirrup
May furnish a stave；
The ring of a rowel and stirrup；
The wash of a wave；
The chaunt of the marsh frog in rushes；
That chimes through the pauses and hushes
Of nightfall； the torrent that gushes；
The tempests that rave；
In the deep'ning of dawn； when it dapples
The dusk of the sky；
With streaks like the redd'ning of apples；
The ripening of rye。
To eastward； when cluster by cluster；
Dim stars and dull planets； that muster；
Wax wan in a world of white lustre
That spreads far and high；
In the gathering of night gloom o'erhead； in
The still silent change；
All fire…flush'd when forest trees redden
On slopes of the range。
When the gnarl'd； knotted trunks Eucalyptian
Seem carved； like weird columns Egyptian；
With curious device； quaint inscription；
And hieroglyph strange；
In the Spring； when the wattle gold trembles
'Twixt shadow and shine；
When each dew…laden air draught resembles
A long draught of wine；
When the sky…line's blue burnish'd resistance
Makes deeper the dreamiest distance；
Some song in all hearts hath existence；
Such songs have been mine。
Thora's Song
We severed in Autumn early；
Ere the earth was torn by the plough；
The wheat and the oats and the barley
Are ripe for the harvest now。
We sunder'd one misty morning
Ere the hills were dimm'd by the rain；
Through the flowers those hills adorning
Thou comest not back again。
My heart is heavy and weary
With the weight of a weary soul；
The mid…day glare grows dreary；
And dreary the midnight scroll。
The corn…stalks sigh for the sickle；
'Neath the load of their golden grain；
I sigh for a mate more fickle
Thou comest not back again。
The warm s