Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-06-21


Read at Rochester, ~ Y. at the Decoration
Day ceremonesI
And so you are the poet. and so, you want
Something what is it,-a theme. q faneyi
Something or other the muse won'I grant
In your old pOetical necromancy.
Why one-half your poets-you can't deny
Don't know the muse when you chance to meet her
But sit in your attic3 ana NOPE and sigh
For fgiHsant goddess to drop from the sky,
when hesh and blood may be standing by
Quite at your service should you but greet her.
What if I told you my own romance,
Women are poets, If you so take them.
One third pOet-the rest what chance.
or man and marriage may choose TO make them
Give NE ten minutes before you co.
Here at the window we'll sit together,
Watching the currents that ebb and tOw
Watching the world as it drifts below
Up the hot avenues dusty glow
Isn't il pleasant-this bright June weather
Well, II was after the war broke out
And was sschool girl, fresh from Paris,
Papa had contracts and roamed about
And Ibid nothing-for was an heiress,
Picked some lint now think. Perhaps
Knitted some stCckings-a dozen nearly
Havelocks made for the soldiers caps
Stood at fair tables and peddled traps
Quite at profit. The shoulder straps
Thought was pretty. All, thank you, really
Still, it r4s stupid Ratatat tat
Those were the sounds Of thst battle summer
I'LL the earth seemed parchment round aud dat,
And every foot all the tap Of drummer;
Cavalry infantry, ali to-ethsr.
TIL my plying angel one day sent
My late in the shape Of regiment,
That halted JUS as the dai spent
Here at our door in the bright June weather
None Of your dandy warriors they
Men from the west, Du, where, know not
Haggard and travel aine3, WON and gray
With never ribbon or lace or bow knot;
And opened the window. and leaning there,
let IA their presence the free woods blowing
Ny neck snd shoulders and arms were bare
81 re an nagar uni % Phi ma IA
But had some flowers tn Il nj sht in my hair,
And here, On my bosom, red Ioso glowing.
And looked from the window along the liae
Dusty and dirty and grim and solemn,
TIL an eye Ike a hay0uog lash met m.ua
And dark face greE from the darkeuing elluIan.
And quick tame leaped O my eyes and hair
III cheeEs and shoulders burned all together,
Ard the neNt f1unf myself standing there
With my y elid5 wet. and ms cnesks less fair
Ard the rose from ny bosom tossed high lar
Like blood drop falling on plume ami feather
Then I drew back quickly ly-the1e came cheer,
A rush Of figures, noise ard a tussle,
And then it over, and hi n and clear
Ny red r0se bloomed o1 hie guns Olask nuEzle-
Then far ia the darknes sharp vOics ,ried,
And slowly ami steadily all tJse her
shoulder 20 shoulder and side . ride
Rising and falling, ami sEtyins wide.
But bearing above them the I'll So, my PRIDE
They marched away in the twill -ht weather
And leaned frcra the window and wl,ched my r,ss
1osse on the waves ut the surgiu.s column,
Narmed from above in the sunsets g.ows,
Borce nom below by an impulse sOlonn-
Then ssut the window / heard no IrOro
CT mJ' solcier friend, my flower ro.ther,
But lived my life is { dg before
did not 20 az 4 uuisr to the war
sick folks o. ms are dreadful bore
So citl't 20 70 the hospitals ei;her,
' 81 smile, @ poet, AID whatdo pou
Iou lean from yCu- window, and watch Lies col-
Tramp NJ and struggling through drft 1rd dew,
flilel with lts purposes grave aud solemn,
And an act, a gesture, a iace-wh0 knows
touches your fancy % tn 80 and haunt You,
And ycu pluck i-cl your hCsCm the verse that
grows,
And l|n 10 lies IKE ny rod. red r0ss.
And you cit and dream away iG goes
Ard think that your DUTY Is dole-noE don. on
know your answer, I'm n. yet through.
Look at this photo-rspa -~ 10 the 'gIeaches''
That dead man IN the cat { blue
Holds withsred rose H. h.s hand That clerches
Nothing except that TIE sun pants rus
And woman sometime Is prophetic minded
AMI that's my romance. And Poet, yOu
Take it an1 mould il TO sgit your view
And who Knows but you may find 1t too
Come 9 your heart cEee more mine did.