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of night。
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DREAMS & DUST
THE SAGE AND THE WOMAN
'TWIXT ancient Beersheba and Dan Another such a caravan Dazed
Palestine had never seen As that which bore Sabea's queen Up from the
fain and flaming South To slake her yearning spirit's drouth At
wisdom's pools； with Solomon。
With gifts of scented sandalwood； And labdanum； and cassia…bud；
With spicy spoils of Araby And camel…loads of ivory And heavy cloths
that glanced and shone With inwrought pearl and beryl…stone She came；
a bold Sabean girl。
And did she find him grave； or gay？ Perchance his palace breathed
that day With psalters sounding solemnly Or cymbals' merrier
minstrelsy Perchance the wearied monarch heard Some loose…tongued
prophet's meddling word； None knows； no onebut Solomon！
She lookedwith eyne wherein were blent All ardors of the Orient；
She spakeall magics of the South Were compassed in the witch's mouth；…
… He thought the scarlet lips of her More precious than En Gedi's myrrh；
The lips of that Sabean girl；
By many an amorous sun caressed； From lifted brow to amber breast
She gleamed in vivid loveliness And lithe as any leopardess And verily；
one blames thee not If thine own proverbs were forgot； O Solomon；
wise Solomon！
She danced for him； and surely she Learnt dancing from some moonlit
sea
Where elfin vapors swirled and swayed While the wild pipes of
witchcraft played Such clutching music 'twould impel A prophet's self to
dance to hell So spun the light Sabean girl。
He swore her laughter had the lilt Of chiming waters that are spilt In
sprays of spurted melody From founts of carven porphyry； And in the
billowy turbulence Of her dusk hair drowned soul and sense Dark
tides and deep； O Solomon！
Perchance unto her day belongs His poem called the Song of Songs；
Each little lyric interval Timed to her pulse's rise and fall； Or when he
cried out wearily That all things end in vanity Did he mean that Sabean
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girl？
The bright barbaric opulence； The sun…kist Temple； Kedar's tents；
How many a careless caravan 'Twixt Beersheba and ruined Dan；
Within these forty centuries； Has flung their dust to many a breeze；
With dust that was King Solomon！
But still the lesson holds as true； O King； as when she lessoned you：
That very wise men are not wise Until they read in Folly's eyes The
wisdom that escapes the schools； That bids the sage revise his rules By
light of some Sabean girl！
NEWS FROM BABYLON
〃Archaeologists have discovered a love…letter among the ruins of
Babylon。〃 Newspaper report。
The world hath just one tale to tell； and it is very old； A little talea
simple talea tale that's easy told： 〃There was a youth in Babylon who
greatly loved a maid！〃 The world hath just one song to sing； but
sings it unafraid； A little songa foolish songthe only song it hath：
〃There was a youth in Ascalon who loved a girl in Gath！〃
Homer clanged it； Omar twanged it； Greece and Persia knew！
Nimrod's reivers； Hiram's weavers； Hindu； Kurd； and Jew
Crowning Tyre； Troy afire； they have dreamed the dream； Tiber…side
and Nilus…tide brightened with the gleam
Oh； the suing； sighing； wooing； sad and merry hours； Blisses
tasted； kisses wasted； building Babel's towers！ Hearts were aching；
hearts were breaking； lashes wet with dew； When the ships touched
the lips of islands Sappho knew； Yearning breasts and burning
breasts； cold at last； are hid Amid the glooms of carven tombs in
Khufu's pyramid Though the sages； down the ages； smile their
cynic doubt； Man and maid； unafraid； put the schools to rout； Seek to
chain love and retain love in the bonds of breath； Vow to hold love；
bind and fold love even unto death！
The dust of forty centuries has buried Babylon； And out of all her
lovers dead rises only one； Rises with a song to sing and laughter in his
eyes； The old songthe only songfor all the rest are lies！
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For； oh； the world has just one dream； and it is very old 'Tis
youth's dreama silly dreambut it is flushed with gold！
A RHYME OF THE ROADS
PEARL…SLASHED and purple and crimson and fringed with
gray mist of the hills； The pennons of morning advance to the music of
rock…fretted rills； The dumb forest quickens to song； and the little
gusts shout as they fling A floor…cloth of orchard bloom down for the
flash… ing； quick feet of the Spring。
To the road； gipsy…heart； thou and I！ 'Tis the mad piper； Spring；
who is leading； 'Tis the pulse of his piping that throbs through the
brain； irresistibly pleading； Full…blossomed； deep…bosomed； fain woman；
light… footed； lute…throated and fleet； We have drunk of the wine of
this Wanderer's song； let us follow his feet！
Like raveled red girdles flung down by some hoidenish goddess
in mirth The tangled roads reach from rim unto utter… most rim of the
earth We will weave of these strands a strong net； we will snare the
bright wings of delight； We will make of these strings a sweet lute that
will shame the low wind…harps of night。
The clamor of tongues and the clangor of trades in the peevish
packed street； The arrogant； jangling Nothings； with iterant； dis…
sonant beat； The clattering； senseless endeavor with dross of mere
gold for its goal； These have sickened the senses and wearied the
brain and straitened the soul。
〃Come forth and be cleansed of the folly of strife for things
worthless of strife； Come forth and gain life and grasp God by fore…
going gains worthless of life〃
It was thus spake the wizard wildwood； low… voiced to the
hearkening heart； It was thus sang the jovial hills； and the harper sun
bore part。
O woman； whose blood as my blood with the fire of the Spring is
aflame； We did well； when the red roads called； that we heeded the
call and came Came forth to the sweet wise silence where soul may
speak sooth unto soul； Vine…wreathed and vagabond Love； with the goal
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of Nowhere for our goal！
What planet…crowned Dusk that wanders the steeps of our
firmament there Hath gems that may match with the dew…opals
meshed in thine opulent hair？ What wind…witch that skims the curled
billows with feet they are fain to caress Hath sandals so wing'd as
thine art with a god… like carelessness？
And dare we not dream this is heaven？to wan… der thus on； ever
on。 Through the hush…heavy valleys of space； up the flushing red
slopes of the dawn？ For none that seeks rest shall find rest till he
ceaseth his striving for rest； And the gain of the quest is the joy of the road
that allures to the quest。
THE LAND OF YESTERDAY
AND I would seek the country town Amid green meadows nestled
down If I could only find the way Back to the Land of Yesterday！
How I would thrust the miles aside； Rush up