The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-20
The Little Blue Flower.
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crane)

know, MAZDA. that my love is not red.
II will never make your blood leap. nor
stir that wild. creative tremor in your
soul. II is no rose of swooning fragrance.
no liquor to make godlike moment, no
trumpet TO your womans will.
II is blue flower, and pale, such as
grows along the icy edges of the spring.
Yet it is love. none the less.
Those who conceive of love as having
no meaning. of being either sinister
hypocrisy covering selfish purpose, OF
an absurd shadow cherished by weak
lngs who cannot have the substance
who think thus Of love unless it mean
mating, directly or indirectly, are ignor-
ant of that which forms the greater part
of life's beauty and life's subtler, more
delicate, and more abiding satisfactionG-
am inclined TO agree with the mys-
ties who held of marriage that 1T was
ordained TO bear the burden of a great
mystery. the secret marriage of the
Lamb. that we might not be without
continual symbol whereby TO compre-
bend that holy union. that when the
Bridegroom come we might know him
worthily" For whatever dishonors mar
riage defaces the hottest symbol Of life.
Also | know the naughtiness Of the
human heart, the stumbling feet of the
will and the dangers that crowd thick
about them that stray from the main
Travelled road into the meadow for flow
ers.
But | have learned, beyond this, that
the safety and soundness of life cannot
be assured by any laws, fences, walls. or
commandments, but solely by our pow
or to idealize all We touch.
never see woman's face with that
mysterious appeal TO me In 1t but love
it. | have loved many so, and hope TO
keep on. loving many more, until die.
(Nor does this disturb the high priestess
Of my affections, who is wise, and of dis
posing mind.)
SO when | say love you it Is not an
exclusive feeling of which speak. Ii is
no secret. 1t is no proclamation. II is q
genuine forthputting Of heart to whom
your girlhood flashed one of It's wireless
messages. n message that came not from
anything you did but from what you are.
You are a breath OF youth, blown
across impossible years. You are the
blossomng of old dreams, Of thingA
| I knew not then.
| Vet now remern Der all these things were se
| Even ~ music. Needed not We KNOW
/ what time q sounds again
And that old music. idly set apart,
Comes lowing back and quickens In my heart.
! Thrilling. and Wild, and low.
Women such as you have meant much
Ito me. All along my path ! have met
them, this company OF the elect - not
beautiful. not gifted, not this or that,
+ but what the Italians call simpatica-
women whose friendship is not as the
friendship Of men, because it contains
+ in il something warm something electric
and inspiring and alive, that no man
/ has for another.
Let US call it love. For surely love
has its soft-shining stars as well as It's
sun its frehies hunting the wide fields
as well as it's lighted house window, its
dreams and visions as well as its business
of the day.
Take then my love, MAZDA. little blue
/ flower. YOU will not be ashamed TO wear
il and perhaps TO look ut it with bright
ening ewes. "a you put il beside the red.
rcd rose the man you choose viii give
you.