The Second Book of Modern Verse Part 11

Hearts with things in them making gashes; Hearts that were choked with their dreams' ashes;

Women in front of the rolled-back air, Looking at their b.r.e.a.s.t.s and nothing there;

Good men wasting and trapped in h.e.l.ls; Hurt lads s.h.i.+vering with the fare-thee-wells.

I saw them as if something bound them; I stood there but my heart went round them.

I begged him not to let me see them wasted.

Says, "Tell them then what you have tasted."

Told him I was weak as a rained-on bee; Told him I was lost. -- Says: "Lean on me."

Something happened then I could not tell, But I knew I had the water for every h.e.l.l.

Any other thing it was no use bringing; They needed what the stars were singing,

What the whole sky sang like waves of light, The tune that it danced to, day and night.

Oh, I listened to the sky for the tune to come; The song seemed easy, but I stood there dumb.

The stars could feel me reaching through them They let down light and drew me to them.

I stood in the sky in a light like day, Drinking in the word that all things say

Where the worlds hang growing in cl.u.s.tered shapes Dripping the music like wine from grapes.

With "Love, Love, Love," above the pain, -- The vine-like song with its wine-like rain.

Through heaven under heaven the song takes root Of the turning, burning, deathless fruit.

I came to the earth and the pain so near me, I tried that song but they couldn't hear me.

I went down into the ground to grow, A seed for a song that would make men know.

Into the ground from my roamer's light I went; he watched me sink to night.

Deep in the ground from my human grieving, His pain ploughed in me to believing.

Oh, he took earth's pain to be his bride, While the heart of life sang in his side.

For I felt that pain, I took its kiss, My heart broke into dust with his.

Then sudden through the earth I found life springing; The dust men trampled on was singing.

Deep in my dust I felt its tones; The roots of beauty went round my bones.

I stirred, I rose like a flame, like a river, I stood on the line, I could sing forever.

Love had pierced into my human sheathing, Song came out of me simple as breathing.

A freight came by, the line grew colder, He laid his hand upon my shoulder.

Says, "Don't stay on the line such nights,"

And led me by the hand to the station lights.

I asked him in front of the station-house wall If he had lodging. Says, "None at all."

I pointed to my heart and looked in his face. -- "Here, -- if you haven't got a better place."

He looked and he said: "Oh, we still must roam But if you'll keep it open, well, I'll call it 'home'."

The thrush now slept whose pillow was his wing.

So the song ended and the four remained Still in the faint stars.h.i.+ne that silvered them, While the low sound went on of broken water Out of the spring and through the darkness flowing Over a stone that held it from the sea.

Whether the men spoke after could not be told, A mist from the ground so veiled them, but they waited A little longer till the moon came up; Then on the gilded track leading to the mountains, Against the moon they faded in common gold And earth bore East with all toward the new morning.

G.o.d's Acre. [Witter Bynner]

Because we felt there could not be A mowing in reality So white and feathery-blown and gay With blossoms of wild caraway, I said to Celia, "Let us trace The secret of this pleasant place!"

We knew some deeper beauty lay Below the bloom of caraway, And when we bent the white aside We came to paupers who had died: Rough wooden s.h.i.+ngles row on row, And G.o.d's name written there -- 'John Doe'.

General William Booth Enters into Heaven. [Vachel Lindsay]

(To be sung to the tune of 'The Blood of the Lamb' with indicated instrument)

I

(Ba.s.s drum beaten loudly)

Booth led boldly with his big ba.s.s drum -- (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) The Saints smiled gravely and they said: "He's come."

(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) Walking lepers followed, rank on rank, Lurching bravoes from the ditches dank, Drabs from the alleyways and drug fiends pale -- Minds still pa.s.sion-ridden, soul-powers frail: -- Vermin-eaten saints with mouldy breath, Unwashed legions with the ways of Death -- (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)

(Banjos)

Every slum had sent its half-a-score The round world over. (Booth had groaned for more.) Every banner that the wide world flies Bloomed with glory and transcendent dyes.

Big-voiced la.s.ses made their banjos bang, Tranced, fanatical, they shrieked and sang: -- "Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"

Hallelujah! It was queer to see Bull-necked convicts with that land make free.

Loons with trumpets blowed a blare, blare, blare, On, on upward thro' the golden air!