It's over late to fret for it, And the world shall pay me yet for it, But the rough-and-tumble left me brown where the handshake found me green. And it's fine to think, when you've time to think, of the wonderful things you do, With a grin for the worst, and a nod for the best, and grit to hold you to Till you face your job and are one with it, Till you tackle your share and are done with it, Till you stand to the odds with an appetite and see the lost fight through. It's soft we come and hard we go, and little enough we get, But we win a streak of ore within that will pan out colour yet. With nothing in the hand and bluffing it, With nothing in the purse and roughing it, We play big stakes with Africa and leave the game in debt. And now we're leaving Africa! oh, kiss your hand once more, To the good old, tough old, grand old land that lies. beyond the shore, And to-night, dear heart, we'll be dreaming of it, And to-morrow we'll be sad for the seeming of it: There's a life and a love astern of us, but Lord knows what before. Perceval Gibbon. An Answer ESTERDAY you had a song I could not choose but hear; But I have found a new refrain I cannot choose but sing; Yesterday we languished But foundering in the sunset, Yesterday we yearned for Perceval Gibbon. H Fleet Street E journeys o'er the ocean's foam, Bridged by the viewless wires that bring News of the world, in quest of HomeHome of his race the poets sing. Nothing is strange, though all is new— The grimy glories of the street By Johnson loved, St. Paul's great dome, Statue of Anne-his pulses beat By Esmond seen, ah, this is Home! Wondrous the trail so deeply worn The Inns of Court, Pump Court and Lamb, Lived, drank, and smoked-he hears the Psalm Greater than all the one who came From Avon's shores to breast the tide That swirls through Fleet Street, his dear fame With him the rover hears once more And thanks the gods his Home is here! England, our England, not alone To those who own thy sway belongs Men may blaspheme thee, but we bless To-night the street is thronged with those We see Sam Johnson in the Inn! Louis Howland. Mother and Son T is not yours, O mother, to complain, Though nevermore your son again Shall to your bosom creep, Though nevermore again you watch your baby sleep. Though in the greener paths of earth, Mother and child, no more We wander; and no more the birth Of me whom once you bore, Seems still the brave reward that once it seemed of yore; Though as all passes, day and night, The seasons and the years, From you, O mother, this delight, This also disappears Some profit yet survives of all your pangs and tears. The child, the seed, the grain of corn, Each for some separate end is born Each must in strength arise to work the almighty will. So from the hearth the children flee, By that almighty hand Austerely led; so one by sea Goes forth, and one by land; Nor aught of all man's sons escapes from that command. So from the sally each obeys The unseen almighty nod; So till the ending all their ways Blind-folded loth have trod: Nor knew their task at all, but were the tools of God. And as the fervent smith of yore Beat out the glowing blade, Nor wielded in the front of war The weapons that he made, But in the tower at home still plied his ringing trade; So like a sword the son shall roam On nobler missions sent; And as the smith remained at home In peaceful turret pent, So sits the while at home the mother well content. R. L. Stevenson. |