Part 10

Little papoose swung high in the branches Hears a song of birds, stars, clouds, Small nests of birds, Small buds of flowers. But he is thinking of his mother with dark hair Like her horse's mane.

Fair clouds nod to him Where he swings in the tree, But he is thinking of his father Dark and glistening and wonderful, Of his father with a voice like ice and velvet, And tones of falling water, Of his father who shouts Like a storm.

FAIRIES AGAIN

Fairies dancing in the woods at night Make me think of foreign places, Of places unknown. Fairies with sparkling crowns and dewy hands, Sprinkle flowers and mosses to keep them fresh, Talk to the birds to keep them cheery. Once a bird came home And found a fairy asleep in his nest, Upon his baby eggs, To keep them warm!

OH, MY HAZEL-EYED MOTHER

Oh, my hazel-eyed mother, I looked behind the mulberry bush And saw you standing there. You were all in white With a star on your forehead.

Oh, my hazel-eyed mother, I do not remember what you said to me, But the light floating above you Was your love for your little girl.

THE GREEN PALM TREE

I sat under a delicate palm tree On a shore of sounding waves. I felt sure I was alone, Listening. A sea-gull flew by from France, A sea-gull flew by from Spain, A sea-gull flew by from Mexico! I laughed softly When they saw me: It was those travelers From foreign countries Changed my thoughts To laughter!

TREASURE

Robbers carry a treasure Into a field of wheat. With a great bag of silk They go on careful feet. They dig a hole, deep, deep, They bury it under a stone, Cover it up with turf, Leave it alone. What is there in the bag? Stones that shine, gold? I cannot rob the robbers! THEY have not told. To-night I'd like to know If they will go Softly to find the treasure? I'd like to know How much yellow gold A bag like that can hold?

TWO PICTURES

Gorgeous Blue Mountain

I see a great mountain Stand among clouds; You would never know Where it ended. . . . Oh, gorgeous blue mountain of my heart And of my love for you!

Sea-Gull

From a yellow strip of sand I watch a gull go by. He is bright-eyed To see the world of waves. All his dream is of the sea. All his love is for his mate.

TELL ME

Tell me quiet things When it is shadowy: It is at morningbreak you must tell me tales Like those about Odysseus, Morning is the time for ships And strangers!

SILVERHORN

It is out in the mountains I find him, My snowy deer With silver horns like dew, Horns that sparkle. I think I see him in the hollow, He is on the high hill! I think I see him on the hill, He is leaping through the air! I think I can ride upon his back, He is like moonlight I cannot hold, He is like thoughts I lose. He flows by All white . . . He makes me think of the brook Out of the hills With its little foamy points Like his twitching ears, Like his horns of silver Sparkling.

The brook is his only friend When he travels . . . Silverhorn, Silverhorn!

SPARKLING DROP OF WATER

The sun shone,

All was still. The sun made one sparkle in one drop Before it fell Down into the mossy green That was the grass. It lay there silent A long time. The sun went, the moon came, Again one sparkle in the grass! Day then night, sun then moon, Year in, year out, So it went on with its life For several years Until at last it was never heard of Any more.

HAY-COCK

This is another kind of sweetness Shaped like a bee-hive: This is the hive the bees have lefts It is from this clover-heap They took away the honey For the other hive!

ONLY MORNING-GLORY THAT FLOWERED

Under the vine I saw one morning-glory A tight unfolding bud Half out. He looked hard down into my lettuce-bed. He was thinking hard. He said I want a friend! I was standing there: I said, Well, I am here! Don't you see me? But he thought and thought.