The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-01


From filaments of undirected thought,
That cobweh all the halls of sleep with dreams,
swept these threads into the glare of day:
Beside figure ROBBED in ashen grey,
And cowled so that his face could not SEQ,
/ walked adown a rock-strewn, rugged path.
His hand held mine in firm but gentle clasp,
And though his mien was that Of majesty,
felt no fear, but only such regret
AS comes to us at parting Of lifes ways
Whom we have turned our backs those we
love.
held not back, though well seemed to know
walked a way my feet should ne'er retrace.
We came unto a rivers bank and paused,
Where lying moored saw splendid barge
Such as no doge, who went to cast his ring
Into the Adriatc's depths, e'er used
In contamination of the wedding rite
That capped him Venice's reigning head and
lord.
Nor could that barge in which the lily maid
OF Astoat took passage, that her face
Might thence for aye be held in Lancelot's heart,
Compare with this I saw moored at the bank.
Upon its white and shining deck was spread
A couch, whose draperies overlooked its sides
In ripping folds and to the water fell,
And trailed like wake of phosphorescent glow.
Waved me to mount the barge's polished deck
No obolus or other ferry fee
He asked, but quick unmoored and stepped
aboard.
Then, as impeding garments off are cast
By those who have work of strength To do,
His cowl and frock of ashen gray fell off,
And Charon stood revealed the barge's lord.
But with this knowledge came no thought Of
dread.
His not the stony face of some black sphynx,
To fright the soul with eyes of gorgon glare,
But every line showed kind and settled calm,
And all about the mouth were prophecies
That yet might ripen into sottest smiles.
Too kingy he to crouch at laboring oars.
He took from off the deck grander staff
Than proudest pontiff of the earth e'er bore.
Full trapped for ceremonies of the church.
And with grand strength propelled the barge
from land.
The ripples parted round the gliding PROV,
Aud lying c0uched looked upon the stream,
Nor saw a murky, dapk and sluggish flow,
Scum coated from the ooze of swanpy fens,
But lmpid waters, smitten with the light
or almost level beams of setting suns.
Then came a thought Of something like regret
That might never see reversed the course
The barge now held from off the fading shore.
And on this thread of thought was strung the
wish
That TO the friends late had parted from
might message bear or send TO tell
How naught but SANDER had made foul this
stream,
And carved black and stony face on him,
The klndest-vIsaged vassal of the Lord
That ever pitied souls in search of rest.
As further still we drew from off the land
About us seemed to fit familiar forms
That had known as friends in other days,
Far inland from the mystic rivers marge
On which sailed, knew not to what port.
They lowered near, incorporeal as the film
We see arise in heated summer days
From out the meadows and from pasture hills,
Yet so distinct that every form knew,
And saw the shining welcome of their eyes,
And lilac odors blent with violet
Came stealing DER the rivers shining calm
AS though the springs that had known to live
And seen to tanned and lusty summers grow,
Then pale their swarth to sunset flush of life,
AS autumn's hectic hue burned on the hills,
Till all was swathed in winters shining shroud,
We're waking one by one. and waiting me
The welcome of their lower-laGen breath,
To some fair land where all the springs are born,
And those that die on earth again find life.
] heard low music. like the songs of birds
And childhood's happy voices sweetly bIenJ;
But through this melody there thread
OF song, like to a mothers lullaby
Elusive as the sounds we hear in dreams,
And are not sure we ever heard before;
Like the sweet reverberatiou of some chord
That long has lain untouched within our hearts.
And SD lay, lapped in trustful calm,
My half-clOsed eyes fixed on nearing shore;
But, as 1 thought the barge's bottom shoaled--
The city's roar and rumble filled my ears.
Ben D. House.