The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-23
From the world today,
Swinging in the grapevine swing.

'gThe Knot of Blue" is probably the
most quoted of Mr.. Peck's poems and
that fact attests its popularity. A poem
that has had great vogue with young
people is very mellifiuous rondeau
called Love Among the Clover" which
follows:
LOVE- AMONG THE CLOVER.
Over and over the purple clover,
Under the greenwood tree,
Sweet Bessie came straying, for wild
flowers Maying,
And sang in her maiden glee:
20 hey o ho
There's a daddy l know
Who joys my face to see.
Fair blossoms, l pray, now what shall
say
When Robin comes wooing o. me?
Dear heart,
When Robin comes woong O. me?'
Over and under the boughs asunder,
Through the wood came Robin ere long,
In the olden fashion he carolled his pas
sion,
And the hawthorn swayed to his song.
20 hey o no!
The way / know
She dropped me this flower to tell;
But what she will say this l5lossomy day!
Would that | knew it as well,
Dear heart,
Would that | knew it as WE'LL
Over and over the fragrant clover,
The bees went humming till late,
And where is the daddy, and what luck
had he
A-wooing his blithesome mate?
o hey hol
They walk full slow,
Brown Robin and bushing Bess;
But what did she say in the wood today7
l think | will leave. you to guess,
heart
1 think l will leave you to guess.
Another poem of very similar Metre and
the same sentimental quality that has
been much admired is My Love in tbs
Long Ago" the first stanzas follw:
Soft is the light of the summer sea,
When the sun in the west is low,
And the pillows sigh to the shells that lie
In the sunsets mellow glow;
But the beauty CLEANS IN vain,
And the tints that wax and wane
And the song of surge
At the oceans verge.
Seems naught but a dirge,
For OH
My thoughts fly far, meath the evening
star
To my love in the long ago.
The winds come up from the signing sea.
And the sea-birds wing of snow
Fades from my sight in the clasp of night
Like joy in the arms of woe;
And | dream by the pillows blue,
OF heart that was leal and true;
And ! vow by the tide,
Though Fate may divide,
My faith shall abide
And grow;
And my heart ever turn while the bright
stars burn
To my love in the long ago.
A short poem called THE Elf Song
has a suggestion of that poetic fantasy
that has made Midsummer Nights
Dream so long a choice production in
English literature One stanza will sat-
isfy to attest its quality:
twist the toes of the birds a-doze,
l tinkle the dew-bells bright;
l chuck the chin of the dimpled rose
Till she laughs in the stars dim light.
The glowworm's lamp l hide in the damp,
l steal the wild bees sting
pinch the toad till his legs are a-cramp,
And clip the beetles wing.
O hol o heyi
My pranks | play
With never a note of warning.
A poem of an entirely different quality
and out of the usual line of Mr. Pecks
composition is MY Grandmother's Tur-
key Tail Fam which appears to have
been written in honor of relic of the
pioneer days:
MY GRANDMOTHER TURKEY-TAIL
FAN.
It owned not a color that vanity dons
Or slender wits choose for display;
It's beautiful tint was a delicate bronze,
A brown softly blended with gray.
From her waist to her chin, spreading
out without break
Twas built on a generous plan;
The pride of the forest was slaughtered
to make
My grandmother's turkey-tail fan.
For common occasions it never was
meant;
In a chest between two slllxen cloths
1t was kept safely hidden with careful
intent
In camphor to keep out the moths.
Twas famed far and wide through the
whole countryside.
From Beersheba cen unto Dan;
And often at meeting with envy 'Sy9s
eyed,
My grandmothers turkey-tai fan.
Camp-meetings, indeed, were its chiefest
delight.
Like a crook unto sheep gone astray
1t beckoned backslders to re-seek the
light,
And eXhorted the sinners to pray.
1t always beat time when the choir went
wrong.
In psallIody leading the van.
"Old Hundred" | know, was its favorite
song
My grandmother's turkeytail fan.
A fig for the fans that are made now
adays,
| Suited only to frivolous mirth!
A different thing was the fan that
praise,
| Yet 1t scorned not the good things of
earth.
At bees and at cuttings twas aye to he
seen;
The best of the gossip began
When in at the doorway had entered Sc
rene
My grandmother's turkey-tall fan.
Tradition relates of it wonderful tales
Its handle of leather was buff.
Though shorn of its glory, cen now II
exhales
AN odor of hymn-books and snuff.
It's primeval grace, If you like, you can
trace;
Twas lmned for the future to scan
Just under a smiling, gold-spectacl"d
NJ. fan 20