Poems (Argent)/The Challenge

by Alice Emily Argent

THE CHALLENGE.

(Suggested by Sir Edwin Landseer's famous picture.)

A BEAUTEOUS scene and winter sketch
  Of frost and snow,
A range of mountains that have caught
    The moon's soft glow.

A night of stars—a starry night
    Reflected shines
Within the bosom of the lake,
    Where fallen pines

Lie at the marge, crushed by the snow
    Of sparkling gems,
That glitter in the silvery light
    As diadems.

A glorious monarch of the glen
    Stands by the stream,
With antlered head, all ghost-like, as
    A phantom dream!

And dripping fast with water-drops
    He waits to meet
A rival stag, who parts the stream
    With rapid feet.

He gives a challenge loud and long,
    A shrill, harsh cry,
That breaks upon the frozen air
    And frozen sky!

A lovely picture! charming all
    Artistic thought;
The artist has the poetry
    Of action caught.

The graceful attitude of stag,
    His shadow slim
Lying athwart the crested snow
    All dark and dim;

The fallen trees beside the marge,
    And mountains high,
Bathed in a shimmering whiteness from
    The moon-lit sky,

Are perfectly pourtrayed by one
    Who loved his art,
Who put a soul in all he wrought
    And poet's heart!