The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27
ELMwOOD.
IN MEMORY OF IAMEs

IN MEMORY OF JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
Here, in the twilight, at the well-knowa gate
Iiinger, with no hear. to enter more.
Among the en-tcps the autumnal air
Murmurs, and spectral in the fading Light
\ solitary heron wings its way
eouthward-save this no sound or touch OF life
DARK Is that window where the scholars lamp
Was used 10 catch pallor from the dawn.
Yes, must needs little linger here
Zach shrub and tree is eloquent OF him.
For tongueless things and silence have their
speech.
This IS the path familiar to his foot
From infancy TO manhood and old agsi
For in chamber of that ancient house
His eyes first opened on the mystery
OF life, and all the splendOr OF the world.
Here. as a child, in loving, curious way,
He watched the bluebirds coming: learned the
date
OF hyaciath and gol1en-rod, and made
Friends Of those little redmen OF the elms,
And siyly aided 70 their winter store
OF hazel nuts; no harmless thing that oreathed,
Footed or winged, but knew him for friend
The silded butterfly was not afraid
To trust its gold - that 50 gentle hand.
All, happy childhood, TiRged with fortunate
st&rsi
What dreams were his in this enchanted sphere
What iniuilions OF high destiny
The honey bees Of Ii Dla touched his lips
IL that cid New World garden, unawares.
So in her arms did Neither Nature fold
Her poet, whis pering what OF wild and sweet
Into his esr--tup state-atEalrs Of birds,
The lore Of dawn and sunset what the winds
said IN the tree tops-fine, UnfathOmed things
Hcuceiorih - turn - music in his brain;
A various music, now ike notes OF hates,
And now IKE basis Of trunpets blown II wars
later he paced this leafy acaderns
Attudeug, drinking from Greek chaices
The rlpeued vintage OF the antique world,
And here to lin came love. and loves dear
loss:
Here hoaors came, the deep applause OF men
Touched to the heart by some swlft-winged
word
That from his own full heart took eager flight
some strain OF piercing sweetness or rebuks,
For underneath his gentle nature famed
\ noble scofu Tor al iguO6le deed,
Himself bondnan Ill ali men were free
Thus passed his manhood: then to other lands
lie sIrayed, stainless figure among courts
BESIDE the Aaazauares and the Thames.
Whence, after too long exile, he returned
With fEesher Laurel, but seda,er step
And eye more serious, faiu 10 breathe the air
When through tie Cambridge marshes the blue
Charles
Cncois IT, length ana stretches 70 the sea;
stream dear 80 him, at every curve a shrine
For pilgrim Memory. Again he watched
His loved Swings Whitening by the door,
aud knew the catbiEd' welcome. in his walks
Smiled ~ lis ta"uy &InsUen ol the t4ms
stealing his nuts. and in the ruined year
Sat az his widowed heartns,ce win bent brows
Leoulne. frosty wita the breath OF time.
And listened 20 the grooming oi the wind
IL t2e wide Elrlwood chluueys. as OF old
And thCu-aul then
= ne aTtcT-El0S has t&11G from the ei-ls.
And III the dcns = darkness Of the houghs
From time - time the freiv's tiny lamp
Sp8rkleS. How often IN st3.l summer dusks
he paused TO note the transient phantom shark
Fash Oh tAe AHA iigas taas oCiiasts HIM.
The night grows chIll. as II i felt a breath
blown from that frozen city where h. lies
All things ,Gsu strange. The leaf that rustl=s
here
Has moro than agtumn's I2oGgniul1ess The
place
Is heavy with his absence. Ike fixed eve.
Whence the dear iIgat OF sense a1.4 thought has
He'd
The vacant windows stare across the lawn
The wise sweet spirit taat informed i ali
Is oiherwhere. The house Itself IS dead.
@ autumn wind among The s7uhre pines.
breathe you his oirSe, bias De &; sweet and low.
Nita deep rs.rsius ana =. .--C;lrs Oi she sea,
Ike 70 AIS Vcrse-toa art IS yours otoGr.
His oacc-you laugh; h.Ia. Now Id voice but
yours
Tender ami low, . wind among ;se pines.
l would, were mine s Tyre OF riyaer strings
II so1s Slel.iSa accents wrapt as name.
Thomas Bsi,sy .ili-icA