IN TIME OF FAMINE.
23
No towers of stone uphold those beacon-lights;
No distance hides them, and no storm can shake;
In valleys they light up the darkest nights,
They outshine sunny days on sunny heights;
They blaze from every house where sleep or wake
My own who love me for my own poor sake.
No distance hides them, and no storm can shake;
In valleys they light up the darkest nights,
They outshine sunny days on sunny heights;
They blaze from every house where sleep or wake
My own who love me for my own poor sake.
Each thought they think of me lights road of flame
Across the seas; no travel on it tires
My heart. I go if they but speak my name;
From Heaven I should come and go the same,
And find this glow forestalling my desires.
My darlings, do you hear me? Trim the fires!
Across the seas; no travel on it tires
My heart. I go if they but speak my name;
From Heaven I should come and go the same,
And find this glow forestalling my desires.
My darlings, do you hear me? Trim the fires!
Genoa, November 30.
IN TIME OF FAMINE.
"
HE has no heart," they said, and turned away,
Then, stung so that I wished my words might be
Two-edged swords, I answered low:—
"Have ye
Not read how once when famine held fierce sway
In Lydia, and men died day by day
Of hunger, there were found brave souls whose glee
Scarce hid their pangs, who said, "Now we
Can eat but once in two days; we will play
Such games on those days when we eat no food
That we forget our pain."
HE has no heart," they said, and turned away,Then, stung so that I wished my words might be
Two-edged swords, I answered low:—
"Have ye
Not read how once when famine held fierce sway
In Lydia, and men died day by day
Of hunger, there were found brave souls whose glee
Scarce hid their pangs, who said, "Now we
Can eat but once in two days; we will play
Such games on those days when we eat no food
That we forget our pain."
