Smyrna times., 1890-01-08
Burning Drift-Wood

Before my drift-wood fire | sit
O19 9Iu see with every waif burn
OIG dreams and tancies coloring il
AND folly's unlaid ghosts retIrn
Tl TSnllps OF mine, whose swift keels cleft
me enchanted sea on which thev soiIo,
are these poor fragments only left
vi vain desires and hopes that failed ?
~ 0f snn1V mot watch from them the light
VI sunset on my towers in Spain.
ana TI see, far off, uploom in sight
Inc Happy Isles might not gain?
Did sudden lift offog reveal
Arcadla's wales of song and sprino
ATI M ala l pass, with grazing keel
ne 'ocAS Whereon the sirens sing?
Have aye not drifted hard upon
r, me uhmapped regions lost to man
ne T, cloud-pltched tents of Prester .TobD
Inc palace domes of Kubla Khan
D1d ~ land winds blow from iasmin flowers
! NY mere outh the ageless Fountain fIIs
iU i1oHe % make sign from rose blown
And gold from EIdorados hills?
Alas the gallant ships that sailed
n Au blind Adventure's errand sent
H9we er they laid their courses. failed
10 reach the haven of Content.
And Of my ventures. those oIono
men Love had freighted safely snod
0eBeKlng a good beyond my own, 'fo"'
by clear-eyed Duty piloted
y mariners, hoping still to meet
me luck Arabian vOyagers met
~ ~ Huu III Dagdad's S mOOnlit street
0ATOun "a
A@Me 9F,' with you on your Sea of Dreams.
T Inc lalr, fond fancies dear to youth
l turn from all that only seems.
ana seek the sober grounds of truth
what ,1 matter that it is not Nav.
Tbot SaDiiS DiIuS nave h0wn, and trees are bare.
4Hat Garker grows the shortening dnv
And colder blows the wintry air i'''
Inc aS, wrecks of passion and desire
, Inc castles no more rebuild
May htly feed my drift-wood fire
ana warm the hands that age has chilled
Whatever perished with my ships.
l only know the best remains
song OF praise is on my lips
For losses which are now NV gains
Heap high my hearth No worth is lost
NJ wisdom with the folly dies. '0s''
o9rh o9rh on, poor shreds, your holocaust
0haIl DC my evening sacrifce
FAR more than all l dared to dream
Unsought before my door l see
N wings Of fire and steeds of steam
Inc world great wonders come to me.
md holier signs, unmarked before
, vi Love to seek and Power TO save
Of fl,r,,
IN, . .oIlis ol Ine Wronged and poor.
Inc man evolving from the slave
9d n life, no louger chance or fate i.
S9fe IN the gracious Featherhood
ioId Ger wearied hands and wait. l
In calm assurance of the good. G
nj well the waiting time must be =
mo brief or long its granted days i.
Faith and Hope and Charity !,
Olt by my evening hrarth-fre's bloza q
nd with them, friends whom Heaven has il
spared, mas l.
W h%se !orc ny heert hqs oonfostod. =
RRd' sharing all my joys has shared y y
NY tender memories of the dead -
ear souls who left US lonely here "
Bound on their last, long voyage. TO Il
e, day by day, are drawing near. a a
" mere every bark has sailing room. a a
,now the solemn monotone Fl
u waters calling unto me p.
u now from whence the airs have blown 81
nat whisper Of the Eternal Sea. II
low my fires Of drift wood burn. th
near ~ tnat seas deep sounds increase. al
I'd, fair in sunset light, discern II,
is mirage-litted Isles of Peace ~,
John q. Whittier IN the HadeDendeat so