We often think that man alone
Remembers in the singing bone.

Green earth forgets: but I surmise
That gardens have long memories,
Like houses, have familiar ghosts,
Remember hospitable hosts.

"Green earth forgets": but I surmise
That gardens have long memories,
Like houses, have familiar ghosts,
Remember hospitable hosts.
Laughter and happiness and grief
Revive within the budding leaf.
Houses remember: since you came
Nothing in Campden is the same;
Objects inanimate will yearn
Inaudibly, for your return,
And human wishes shall be full
Of aspirations audible,
Which, ratified from hour to hour,
Possess, we hope, magnetic power.

In conclusion, I wish to express my grateful thanks
For your patient attention, and endurance of my pranks.

J. S. Eist

A VALEDICTORY

FORBIDDING MOURNING, TO THE LADY OF THE HOUSE

In springtime, when the year was new,
The morning grass was fresh with dew;
In Autumn's season of regret,
The morning flowers are moister yet.
When now the tardy rose appears,
It sparkles not with dew, but tears;
Its head is bent with patient grief;
There runs a shudder through the leaf.
The violets and hollyhocks,
Have now put off their colored frocks.
The zinnia and marigold,
Shall go to join beneath the mold,
The tulip and the daffodil,
But on the wall there quivers still,
A tear within the lonely eye,
Of clematis Jackmannii.
The myosotis blue proclaim,
With color shrill, their English name;
And still the Robin tries to sing,
And cheat the Winter into Spring.
O long procession, happy flowers,
That passed through Spring and Summer hours,

-2-

Eager to blossom, and to try,
To win approval, and to die,
With grateful knowledge that they grew,
To greet the eyes of one who knew,
~~Their~~ Their ways and needs in every kind,
And when to prune and when to bind,
And when to cut and when to move,
With tender skill inspired by love.

O happy flowers, that have gone,
Quietly to oblivion,
And with your beauty have repaid,
The hand that trimmed and trained and sprayed.
O happy stems that not resent,
The Winter's long imprisonment;
O happy roots that live beneath,
The calm impertinence of death.
When the revolving year shall bring,
The sweet deception of the Spring,
Dare you put on your gaudy jerkins,
Unsupervised by Mrs. Perkins?

We often think that man alone,
Remembers in the singing bone.

"Green earth forgets"; but I surmise,
That gardens have long memories,

2

Have now put off their colored frocks.
The zinnia and marigold
Shall go to join beneath the mould
The tulip and the daffodil.
But on the wall there quivers still
A tear within the lonely eye
Of clematis Jackmannii.
The myosotis blue proclaim
With color shrill their English name;
And still the robin tries to sing
And cheat the winter into spring.

3

Oh, long procession, happy flowers,
That pass through spring and summer hours,
Eager to blossom and to try
To win approval and to die,
With grateful knowledge that they grew
To greet the eyes of one who knew

Your ways and needs in every kind
And when to prune and when to bind
And when to cut and when to move

Oh, happy flowers that have gone
Quietly to oblivion

The hand that trimmed and trained and sprayed,

Oh, happy stems that not resent
The winter's long imprisonment,
Oh, happy roots that live beneath
The calm impertinence of death,
When the revolving year shall bring
The sweet deception of the spring,
Dare you put on your gaudy jerkins
Unsupervised by Mrs. Perkins?

We often think that man alone
Remembers in the singing bone.
"Green earth forgets;" but I surmise
That gardens have long memories,
Like houses, have familiar ghosts
Of dear and hospitable hosts.

5

Laughter and happiness and grief
Revive within the budding leaf.
Houses remember; since you came
Nothing in Campden is the same;
Objects inanimate will yearn
Inaudibly for your return;
And human wishes shall be full
Of aspiration audible,
Which, ratified from hour to hour,
Possess, we hope, magnetic power.

In conclusion I wish to express my grateful thanks
For your patient attention and forbearance with my pranks.