The Portland daily press., 1873-02-26

IEtft = SEQ So ft
YATLASrA.
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In early days. when yet tie world was new,
And but of late the sun had learned to shine
The gods dwelt among men, and in pam Wv" VI ;ne
And tended sheep, and pruned the thlcA,o"
And rested under the blackshado"eu P,
i,zara "a n,en-saye for their greater weisH'
OF power: and they too, ject were u f"'''
So ON an April morn Persephone
Sat nuckpg f,wers on sunny hni'
The rose and myrtle anu aneinohe'
rbc rinkstained daisy and the dafodil
And brimming godcups that the dewdrops fill,
A nd little yiolets that kissed her foot,
And moss that carpeted the trees gray root.
When suddenly fell darkness on the day.
Though in the clear blue sky cloud was there NOT
And chill wind rose up; and with dismav
Persephone saw in the lovely spot
dusky king, in leaden chariot. >-..
VINO, no word speaking, bore the maid afar.
orusning the scattered blossoms meath his car
Know not, nor envy who can tell,
MID rocks, and central fires that no airs fan.
what way they went, or what their course befel
through hollow caves, past streams that never ran
In the SUMS light, or in the sight of man;
Before they reached the gloomy kings abode.
And summer passed, and autumns last leaf fell,
And winter came; yet sad Persephone
Queen of the realm whence none comes back to tell
What there is done, or living eye may see,
Sat in the shadow, weeping bitterly
For the fair earth in which she had no part,
And for the endless sorrow of her hear.
Her voice rose clear and mournfu through the arr
And tn gray ghosts that long had HE iorget
For that they knew no more joy or despair
Listened and wondered at they knew not what
And thus she spoke and weeping ceased she not
STREET hing white arms into the dismal space
As If to meet her mothers warm embrace:
"o'er the sad river to this dreary shore
AVIAN gray boatnan does forever row;
And the dim gliding ghosts move evernore,
Moaning like nightwinds when the sun is low,
Or wringing ashen hands in tragic show
Weep for the world whose bitter grief of loss
Is drowned in the black stream that they must cross
Sometimes, for love of some left on the Garth
Love that no rivers wave may make forget
Remembering life and that which was its worth
Open dead lips articulate words are set,
And as through mist, see the green earth yet,
And as they speak of what to them was dear,
l know not which were better, hope or fear.
ooh for the warm earth and the vnehung hills,
And oh for signing OF the waterreeds,
And nodding heads of wndbent dafodils,
And daisies thick Us stars set in the meads,
And springs first breath that wakes the sleeping
seeds,
And summers sun, or when on autumn morn
My mothers smile ripens the tossing corn; t
"Words have no echo in this heavy air
Dead as the dead whose life it is and breath
Or else such cries the wind should upward bear
To the world lit of the sun, from this beneath,
That everything should feel living death;
And on his Curse should stay the rapid sun,
And all the joy and hope of the world be done''
With this she ceased to mourn and to lament,
And said "Shall not the world come down to me?
Across the stream not all mortals sent
That here forevermore must deathless be?
And earth shall be deserted utterly ...
But happier were one day of passionate breath
Than Immortality Of life in death!''