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Woman's Love Letters

<h2>The Fleur de Lis Poets.</h2> <h1>A WOMAN'S LOVE LETTERS.</h1> <h2>BY SOPHIE M. ALMON-HENSLEY</h2> <div class='padding'> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/crest.jpg" width-obs="60" height-obs="100" alt="crest" title="crest" /></div> </div> <div class='padding'> <h4> NEW YORK. J. SELWIN TAIT AND SONS, NUMBER SIXTY-FIVE FIFTH AVENUE. </h4></div> <hr style="width: 45%;" /> Copyright, 1895 BY J. SELWIN TAIT & SONS New York <hr style="width: 45%;" /> <h2>CONTENTS.</h2> <div class='center'> <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td align='left'>A Dream,</td><td align='left'>1</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Dream-Song,</td><td align='left'>8</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Doubt,</td><td align='left'>9</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>13</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Anticipation,</td><td align='left'>14</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>18</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Misunderstanding,</td><td align='left'>19</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Shadow-Song,</td><td align='left'>23</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Revulsion,</td><td align='left'>24</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>A Song of Dawn,</td><td align='left'>27</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Weariness,</td><td align='left'>28</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>A Song of Rest,</td><td align='left'>31</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Death,</td><td align='left'>33</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Battle-Song,</td><td align='left'>38</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Content,</td><td align='left'>39</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Sea-Song,</td><td align='left'>42</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Gratitude,</td><td align='left'>44</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>48</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Prayer,</td><td align='left'>49</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>53</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Loneliness,</td><td align='left'>54</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Sea-Song,</td><td align='left'>57</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Incompleteness,</td><td align='left'>59</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>65</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Life's Joys,</td><td align='left'>65</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>70</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Barter,</td><td align='left'>72</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>76</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>To-morrow,</td><td align='left'>78</td></tr> <tr><td align='left'>Song,</td><td align='left'>82</td></tr> </table></div> [Pg 1] <hr style="width: 35%;" /> <h2>A Dream.</h2> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> I stood far off above the haunts of men Somewhere, I know not, when the sky was dim From some worn glory, and the morning hymn Of the gay oriole echoed from the glen. Wandering, I felt earth's peace, nor knew I sought A visioned face, a voice the wind had caught. </div> <div class="stanza"> I passed the waking things that stirred and gazed, Thought-bound, and heeded not; the waking flowers Drank in the morning mist, dawn's tender showers, [Pg 2] And looked forth for the Day-god who had blazed His heart away and died at sundown. Far In the gray west faded a loitering star. </div> <div class="stanza"> It seemed that I had wandered through long years, A life of years, still seeking gropingly A thing I dared not name; now I could see In the still dawn a hope, in the soft tears Of the deep-hearted violets a breath Of kinship, like the herald voice of Death. </div> <div class="stanza"> Slow moved the morning; where the hill was bare Woke a reluctant breeze. Dimly I knew My Day was come. The wind-blown blossoms threw Their breath about me, and the pine-swept air Grew to a shape, a mighty, formless thing, A phantom of the wood's imagining. [Pg 3]</div> <div class="stanza"> And as I gazed, spell-bound, it seemed to move Its tendril limbs, still swaying tremulously As if in spirit-doubt; then glad and free Crystalled the being won from waiting grove Into a human likeness. There he stood, The vine-browed shape of Nature's mortal mood. </div> <div class="stanza"> "Now have I found thee, Vision I have sought These years, unknowing; surely thou art fair And inly wise, and on thy tasselled hair Glows Heaven's own light. Passion and fame are naught To thy clear eyes, O Prince of many lands,— Grant me thy joy," I cried, and stretched my hands. </div> <div class="stanza"> No answer but the flourish of the breeze Through the black pines. Then, slowly, as the wind [Pg 4] Parts the dense cloud-forms, leaving naught behind But shapeless vapor, through the budding trees Drifted some force unseen, and from my sight Faded my god into the morning light. </div> <div class="stanza"> Again alone. With wistful, straining eyes I waited, and the sunshine flecked the bank Happy with arbutus and violets where I sank Hearing, near by, a host of melodies, The rapture of the woodthrush; soft her mood The love-mate, with such golden numbers woo'd. </div> <div class="stanza"> He ceased; the fresh moss-odors filled the grove With a strange sweetness, the dark hemlock boughs Moved soft, as though they heard the brooklet rouse To its spring soul, and whisper low of love. [Pg 5] The white-robed birches stood unbendingly Like royal maids, in proud expectancy. </div> <div class="stanza"> Athwart the ramage where the young leaves press It came to me, ah, call it what you will Vision or waking dream, I see it still! Again a form born of the woodland stress Grew to my gaze, and by some secret sign Though shadow-hid, I knew the form was thine. </div> <div class="stanza"> The glancing sunlight made thy ruddy hair A crown of gold, but on thy spirit-face There was no smile, only a tender grace Of love half doubt. Upon thy hand a rare Wild bird of Paradise perched fearlessly With radiant plumage and still, lustrous eye. </div> <div class="stanza"> And as I gazed I saw what I had deemed A shadow near thy hand, a dusky wing, A bird like last year's leaves, so dull a thing Beside its fellow; as the sunshine gleamed [Pg 6] Each breast showed letters bright as crystalled rain, The fair bird bore "Delight," the other "Pain." </div> <div class="stanza"> Then came thy voice: "O Love, wilt have my gift?" I stretched my glad hands eagerly to grasp The heaven-blown bird, gold-hued, and longed to clasp It close and know it mine. Ere I might lift The shining thing and hold it to my breast Again I heard thy voice with vague unrest. </div> <div class="stanza"> "These are twin birds and may not parted be." Full in thine eyes I gazed, and read therein The paradox of life, of love, of sin, As on a night of cloud and mystery One darting flash makes bright the hidden ways, And feet tread knowingly though thick the haze. [Pg 7]</div> <div class="stanza"> Thy gift, if so I chose,—no other hand Save thine.—I reached and gathered to my heart The quivering, sentient things.—Sometimes I start To know them hidden there.—If I should stand Idly, some day, and one,—God help me!—breast A homing breeze,—my brown bird knows its nest. [Pg 8]</div> </div> <hr style="width: 35%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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