Poems to Live By

POEMS TO LIVE BY

by

Stanwood Cobb

Avalon Press - Washington, D. C. 20015

' . Copyright - 1969

By

Stanwood Cobb

Manufactured in the United States of America Other Books

By Stanwood Cobb

Th e- Jqde Necklace of Lin San Kwei - Verse What is Love? - Verse What is God? - Verse Sage of the Sacred Mountain What is Man? - Verse The Donkey and the Elephant - Verse Tomorrow and Tomorrow Syrnbo l s of America The Way of Lif e of Wu Ming Fu Cha.r a ct e r - A Sequence in Spiritual Psychology Patterns in Jade of Wu Ming Fu Security for a Failing World New Horizons for the Child Discovering the Genius Within You The Wisdom of Wu Ming Fu The New Leaven Simla - A Tale in Verse The Essential Mysticism Ayesha of the Bosphorus - A Romance The Real Turk The Meaning of Life The Destiny of America I slamic Contributions to Civilization Table of Contents

Part 1

Poems of Youth

Nature and Love

Par t 11

Poems of the Spirit PARTI

POEMSOFYOUTH, NATUREANDLOVE Out F'r orn an Examination

Out from an examination pacing hot-headed, I percei ved the eternal r e al.i ti e s of natu r e: The glow of sunset in the western sky, The soft snow-lines upon the hi Il s , The sixth planet shining near the ho r i z on , And my soul found freedom again In the Infinite.

Twofold Goal

Enough, enough to me be gi ven A life both of the earth and hea ven; The one amidst the deeds of man, And one where only Faith may sean.

L'Envoi

A final word From one who take s alone the path That all must wa Ik , Let it be said That life is as you live i t, The sky now blue , now gray In mood to match The sunshine and the shadow of your soul.

The Path

For me there is no great nor les s, No failure or success; The path I follow as the vision leads. For time, I have eternity to r oarnj For spa ce , the universe my home, Content to go as Destiny me speeds.

The Homeland

Like a well known voice in a foreign land Comes a bit of music here; a poem; A song that bids me rise And go to my Father's home.

Do I rest content with th e things that are here? I Ti s because I see no other; And voice s of the Pa st Are drowned in a saddened d r e arn ,

Why do I linger here when a world of wonder waits? A world where the purple hills look down On a people of might . - On a people who know their glorious God-gi ven powe r ,

It is there I be long , In the mystic homeland sweet. Why come ye s ourid s , strange melodies - To prick my heart till the yearning blood leaps forth!

O why, you poems of unusual meter, That under the common meaning of your words Bear me aloft on billows Of inexplicable forgotten sound?

O why, you pi ctu r e , lurks that subtl e smile Beneath the contour of the form and color Is pride? As who should hint "Do st s ta y, when the home-breeze whispers forth?"

I dreamed the other night I stood upon hills three And saw a greater thing Than ever I have known - So great that half of it escapes my waking sight.

But now I know what beauty m ean s , And at its call My struggling soul would restless burst away And fly back home where friends await its coming.

Man and De stiny

To strut like a rooster in the sun , To feel the joy oí every bird that sings, To thrill with life like yonder nodding flower s, This is existence.

To open one1s arms to al.l one1s fellow be ing s , To read behind each face the person hidden there, To see beneath all evil the good that may become, This is benevolence.

To feel oneself grow less and Ie s s , To reach the point where Self no more exists, To float in the fulness oí the cosmic whole, This is Eternity.

Breath oí th e Summer Morn

Breath oí the summer morn, Dew on the rose, Perfumes that are shed abroad With every breeze that blows: Seek ye, perhaps, sorne passer-by To stop and dream and sigh? Then here am I! Oh here am I!

A Creed of Happiness

I ama pagan, If making ha ppine s s an aim of lif e Is pagan. And I am a philosopher, If the belief one l s happiness must be created, And the consideration of the means of its creation Is phí Io sophy,

And this is my discovery: The key to happiness Is a simple and appreciative hea r t, The Universe surrounds with many joys Which go unheeded by the comrnon man.

We win to happiness By bringing open vision, Zest for enjoyment, And a thankful heart To all activities of life And every hour of living.

Can one sa y more than this ? Perhaps. But the credo here set forth Can be proved better by experience Than by mere words.

Pea ce

Ending the dreary war-torn night Zion feels the watchman bringing The dawn of planetary peace - And all her heart is singing.

My Prayer

Give me the mind to know, The will to feel, And enough strength to carry out The Truth.

Grant that the universe may open up her secrets to me. I ask not to know all, But to know rightly that which Ido know. To be not led astray; To see not falsely through prejudice, Pride, sloth or wilfullne s s; But to see thnough the clear light of reason And to feel with the heart of a little child!

Despair

When life the de epe st settles like a cloud Of storm upon me, such as thunders loud Its dim despair, and flashes forth in gleam Of lights that with satanic menace teem, Then know I most, that though the sunny day s , And joy, are God - He also rides the storm And gives His angels charge of all the ways Of waste and death that lead to life Is reform.

And lo, this cloud strange mystic rays illume Into a shape of high superna! grace; And in the midst of despair's darkest gloom, Behold! I see my Maker face to fa.ce ,

Sacred Hours

Thank God for hours vouchsafed to u s, Freed from Time Is moving stream - When cosmic life, in leaf and flower, Holds us entrancéd in dream.

The Madman Is Story

They told me that such effort would do har m, Too great excitement for a failing mind! A period so critica! should be . Bridged over by mind-easing calrn and r e st, Or else the slender threads of reason1s woof Would snap, unravel and be swept away By maddening wí.nds , And so they counseled rn e t- Carefree, to leave ambition for the wh~e; Cut loase the cables, drift untaught to sea And let my goal grow dim upon the du sk ,

Oh what a way to save a tottering mind! What? Sacrifice ambition and all pl an s , Abandoning the joyous course marked out Just when the harbar light sends cheery rays To guide the struggling vessel to its goal?

Am I to let the world slip by, fo r sooth, When but to hail it were to call it mine! Or lea ve the ripe fruit hanging on the bough Wñen it were mine for the mere plucking of it! As well advise the sailor leave his r aft When rescue boats are bearing down upon hírn , As well advise a conquering army lea ve The field of its well-wrested victory.

They think the minds I last glimmer Is flickering out! Bah, let them think! I s nap my fingers at them! They do not know what genius is! They see An old cracked bell and call it valueless!

But reason, after ali, what is its worth? Has reason ever moved the world? Won battles, Established a religion or a school? Or wrested from blind Nature many truths? No, r ea son does not so! But genius doe s, And madness is but genius in disguise.

If I arn mad, I revel in this gift. Let tie s be snapped, let earth be left behind; And soaring through star-spaces, borne aloft On roseate clouds of the imagination Let's find what reason has but dimly guessed, And the inferior clay has never dreamed.

Look you at me in pity? In contempt? I know that faint disdainful smile The creeps around the face of everyone Who listens to my story.

I'll tell no more. Please go away! Keep pity for yourself!

All Hail!

Hail to life' s bold explorers, Pioneers who lead the way To unknown regions of the soul; Scale boldest crags, And find there a foothold firm. Without them, we should falter at the first steep climb; Sould fear by pr ecípi ce and brink; Should rest contented with low levels won,

Why?

Why should we always hear the first wild notes Of symphonie s that droop with subtle sweet, Only to miss the melody divine That lingers half discovered, half too fleet?

Why should our hearts soar skyward like the lark At sight of sorne seraphic, heaven-lit face - Only to beat its passion out in vain Against the prison ba r s of time and place?

O melody that comes to plague us so, O love that clings and will not let us go, We pr ay for Er e edornj yet a dreamless peace We would not wish for, that I know,

Let other s satisfy their hearts I desire, Let others have a soul that's not on fí r e , The sunshine glows more deeply after rain; The seer, in pe a.ce , comes to his own again.

When the Evening Shadows Fall Composed in 1908 at Acca

When the evening shadows fall And the darkness covers all - When the turquoise and the blue Of the sea dissolve from vi ew, And the orange of the sky Fades befare the watching eye When the sunset shadows fall Ma y God' s peace enfold us all.

What is Love?

What is true love? Can anyone define? Hardly, for Iove follows no one line.

There is the ardent love of flesh for flesh, Such as the cha rrn s of body may enmesh.

When to such earthly love is added soul, We have conjuga! blissfulness in wh ol e ,

There is attracti ve Lo ve of one' s own kind, A deep attachment for the kindred mind.

The !ove of mother for her cherished child Of human Io ve this is most sweetly mild.

But of all Iove s , this is the final test - Welfare of others must to us seem be st]

An Interlude?

Is happiness an interlude, Or is it natur e ' s constant mood? For human s , it is all too rare - It seldom serves as daily fare!

To Soar Aloft

O butterfly from flower to flower flitting, How is it that I who here am sitting Can also fly and spread my golden wings, And soar al.oft with every bird that sings?

Transmigration of Souls

The Sparrow (Devotee of the Mart)

You have no voice to sing and charm the soul, Your days are spent in grubbing on the street; Nor have you zest to soar against the sky,- Enough for you to hustle and to e at,

The Crow (Cynic)

Where things are black, your plumage blackest fi t s , You like, aloft, to sean the nether fields; And then, arion , with raucous clamorings Assure the world that life no pleasure yields.

The Nightingale (Forlorn Lover)

When spring her utmost beauty spreads abroad And moonlight gilds the blossom- scented air, You pour your heart in r aptur ou s melody Invoking memories of sorne old despair.

The Eagle (Seer)

You soar aloft s height; and dar e the zenith I

Your wings can vantage you against the gale; And when you rest, 1tis on sorne sky-born crag Where turmoil does not r ea ch, nor silence fa i I,

Newton - A Poetic Appreciation

O Newton, who thy charms can fitly tell! Thy shaded streets, thy fair homes love so well; Thy re sidential heights by a r t enhanced; Thy simpler spot s where Nature lies entranced; Thy ponds that bask beneath the summer heat And ring in winter from the skaters' feet; Thy river where the summer idly floats In gay canoe s and sober-colored boats - O place of pleasure noted far and wide, Where is thine equal, charming Riverside?

So far has loving Nature done her share To make the Garden City passing fair That she has seemed to justly signify - "He r e in no busy factory wheels shall ply, No dust-blown mart this charming site shall hol.d, Its people be of no inferior mold. " And so the thirteen Newtons, charming all, Laid out and grown to plan symmetrical, Ha.ve come to be the home of those who take Culture for theirs and live for culture's s ake , O may no footprints of a ruder r a c e Her paths of plenty and of peace defa ce , Let others have their palaces and domes, May Newton stay the city of fair homes.

Perfection

I wonder if all life must make the quest For a Perfection that is never found , I wonder if that chord must be denied, -To gi ve earth-music a celestial sound.

When Hope is Gone

Life still asserts itself, when hope is gone, for life is more than thought; It is the sacred Essence ba ck of time from which all things are wr ought,

Then Iea r n, when hope grows dírn, to roerse yourself within this Cosmic Ocean - V:.'4ich can bring calm, or rouse the tired soul again to zestful motion.

Knowe st Thou, O Soul?

The shadows lengthen And we are far from home. Knowest thou the r oad, O Soul? Canst see amidst the gloam?

"Though the road be lengthy, Though the goal be far - Never need we go astray With eyes on yon bright star!"

But the way is r ough, O Soul; The night is hard to meet. How can mortals safely tread The path with stumbling feet?

"Though the darkness deepens Though dusk obscures the sight - Never need we stumble here While at our feet this Light. 1'

Toda y

I arn so happy toda y, And I cannot tell why. Perhaps it1s the light in the ai r , Perhaps it1 s th e blue in the sky.

Ido not ca r e what may come Or what tomorrow ma y bring; Today I'm in Io ve with Ii fe , Today I can only sing.

Walking With My Lave

Walking with my true lave The sun shines brighter s ti Il , The sky is b lu e r , and a glow Transcends the tree-clad hill.

The river flows in pearly hue s , Framed in its sedge-brown fringe; And out acress the gray-blue flood Far shores show misty tinge.

The earth is always filled with joy And beauty reigns superb above , When comradely a nd arm in arm I walk the meadows with my Iove ,

Creatori

Lords of the Inner World, we, Land of the unbeknown - Where visions have exi.sted And high ideas have flown.

Not ours the truckling market, Nor throne-rooms lined with g old, We dwell in faery castles And spirit scepter s h ol.d,

We rule the elementals. Ours the creative fire That shapes a constellation, That solves a heart's de s i r e ,

Our love is pristine beauty; Our life is pa s s ed in d r e arn s , For usj pa r t s the mystic curtain And the light of knowledge beams.

Today let us sow, theri, in gladness That tomorrow may reap what is sown. Our s not the car e for Earth Is wage s - Lords of the Unbe known,

Exploring Truth

May I see Truth, as from a mountain top Scouts see a vast terrain spread out before them Waiting to be explored, beckoning to adventure, Enticing with the promise of hid treasures; Luring one on in an eternal quest To goals not seen, but only gue s s ed,

Above the Rainbow

At the end of the r a inbow, So we are told, Lies bright buried treasure, A pot of pure gold; But this so elusi ve Escaping our hold.

Above that same rainbow Lies wealth more kind; More valuable treasures, Within our strength to find - Treasures of the spirit, Treasure s of the mind.

Song of the Jubilant Throat

Why this life' s dullnes s? Where is the wrong That the h e a r t ' s fullne·ss Bur st into song?

Song of the jubilant throat - Pricked with the yearning That through Spring' s caress Sets hearts aburning.

Chant of the blood- red dawn, Hint of Hope' s morrow - Shall not today's bright sun Outshine all sorrow?

Sacred Lyre

I tune my sacred lyre To sorne celestial fire; Its strains mount sweet, mount higher, Like glorious chant from sorne exalted crag. Oh, may this inspiration never flag, These fingers never tire!

To a Naiad

Come and sit here - Sit by my side Abo ve the wa ves and ti d e , Are you sorne naiad Out of the deep? • 1 Have you love- strayed F'r orn one who would keep You bod y and h e a r t , Ne ver to part?

Do you mourn For what is pa s t ? Have the Fates borne You here at last, To rest in pe a e e Here at my side - With no release, Whate'er betide?

The Piscataqua

I recline in the shade of the trees, The tidal river below; Not too much chill in the breeze, Only an ambient glow.

It+s hot in the city, they say - Yes, it is stiffling hot. But here an entrancing day Gilds this sequestered spot ,

Yes! It is easy-to feel Close to God' s spirit her e• No church designed of brick or steel Brings Him so subtly near!

A Perfect Day

The birds are singing; And the sunlight gay Makes on the water A morn-magic ray.

The air is fresh; And every leaf and flower Make s for loveline s s An enchanted hour ,

Here is a perfect day; Nature has done her best To fil! my heartwith joy To soothe my soul to re st ,

Fairies

There is a woodland glade Where fairies dance Wrapt in the forest silence, Free from human glance.

From a mos sy bank The music comes; Crickets piping shrill All the woodland fill; And the locusts' wings Furnish drums.

What have they for light? The fire-fly' s torch. And the glow-worms give Lamps that do not scorch.

See the green-bossed elves, Perched on flowers, Come to see the fun From their hidden bowers. They'll not dance tonight - Only fairies Sha r e this pure delight.

Round and round they go, Bend and courtsey low. On the tiniest little feet They trip - and their toes Scarce with the dew drops meet That glitter on the rno s s ,

In the East light spa.r kl e s , And the stars grow dí.rn, What, must the fairies stop Just in the be st of trim?

Yes, the music cease~, and the fairies gay Each with a fire-fly escort Haste away, At the stroke of three All must silent be - For fairies flee the appr oa ch of day.

The Goal

O Love, I turn to thee To guide me over life r s strange mystic sea. The thinker thinks his intellect the goal, But we know better, you and I, my soul. Love is the clue arid Love the guiding, too. Without it none may pass the spirit' s portals through.

And so to that great Splendour of Desire far away, Love be my company, and Love my stay.

The Flame

This earth of our s , so gay, so bright, And you dar e say that life is without light? Go! In the darkness of your soul enquire For that one Flame that sets the worlds on fire.

Evening Prayer for a Child

God give thee pea ce , May angels kis s thee in thy sleep, And round about thy head so dear The wingéd seraphs vigil keep.

God give thee joy, That thou mayest see His face - The whilst all troubles of the day Dissolve with Time and Spa ce ,

God give thee power - That thou maye st learn to bring Back with thee when thou com I st to earth The songs the angels sing.

Thoughts

The woods are full of last year1s chestnut-burs And dead leaves dance with every wind that stirs; Come, who would wish these back upon the tree Which toda y' s new life decks out so gloriously!

Why blind the eyes with grieving for the past So that thou canst not see the joys thou hast? Wipe yesterday's unavailing tears away And greet the glorious sunshine of toda y.

The future beckons with a golden smile And offers gifts which every heart beguile. But he who grasps the present moment's mead Has that whose worth all other worths exceed.

Appearance and Reality

From the ocean of Eternal Love Two waves carne breaking on the shor e , That travelled twain until their spray Was joined to separate no more.

So from the Formless, issues form; From the Abs tr act, life' s joys are won, Ali that now moves as multiple, E'ternally is seen as one ,

Youth

O youth, blossoming at our <loor, O Garden of delight! Seed of eternal splendor, With each day's promise bright!

How <lid we do without you, Nor knew that life was bare - Youth oí- eternal splendor Bringing us joys to share?

Lif e Is infini te r enewal, Builds on youth's changing ways - Rhythm that pulsates warmly And throughout the Cosmos plays.

Ever sorne new root springing The decay of Time defies; Because youth can balance age, The Universe never di e s ,

Baby in a Restaurant

This baby did not understand much s pe e ch, Nor know the use of things within his reach. But as he s canned the strangers between whiles, He understood the meaning of their smiles.

To Five-Year Old Shirin

O Shirin, you were born on ea r th , But the quaint secret no one knows; How you brought beauty from the sky> Or whence your innate wisdom fl ows ,

Cupid and Apollo

Lave was sipping nectared bliss Brewed from honey of a kí s s , Cupid beside her, amorous boy, Was thinking whom he might annoy With his potent bow and arrows, Bored with shooting only spa r r ows ,

Apollo, music Is god, happed by As Cupid ventured toward Iove Is sky, Apollo smiled at Cupid Is sport, And gave advice in discourse short.

"When you speed the heavens through, Shoot darts dipped in magic brew Distilled from music sweet and low - A yeast to make !ove quickly grow. Try thí s , and these words you'll prove: Men and music rna ke for Iove , 11

Nature and God

Na.tur e ' s prolific. A single living cell, Left free to multiply without one death, Would in five years outweigh the earth itself! And myriad microbes crowd our every br ea th,

Is God so generous to the lowest life That thrives below ea i-ths surface o r above, And yet be limited in spiritual goods, Or fail in His abundant gift of Love?

And still, with all its teeming vital wealth, Matter is limited in its supply. Love only, through the Cosmos, knows no fail - Its boundaries as infinite as the sky ,

And Love has miracles that nature lacks; The more of it that's used, the more it grows. And who gives most of love to other men Will find that love, to him, more richly flows.

What is Desire?

What is desire? A slumbering fire That smoulders for days, Then bur sts into blaze - De stroying all in i ts path Like the ragings of wrath.

When peace follows pain, Desire smoulders again.

Love is the Light of Home

The Universe is vast, It terrifie s the soul! Man as a fragment Is lost in the Whole.

Lave is Life's Anchor, The focus of Being; Here man is All, As sight is all of seeing.

No longer wandering, Not aimless to r oarn , Not lost in the cosmos, Lave is the light oí home.

Hope

Hope is the sunshine oí tomorrow- The truth that all things deítly move Serene to gladness out of sorrow, That Faith her steadfast pledge may prove.

A Little While

Descending from sorne heaven oí delight You carne to dwell on earth a little while - Bearing celestial joy within your heart, Wearing delight as an eternal srní.Ie ,

The Morning After the Strife

Alone, alone with the cold, cold dead, And the sea breaking clase at hand, The beach is strewn with the harvest of war, And the ocean frowns on the Iand,

Ali gone, all gone is the noise of the strife, And the dead are an ashen gray. One man alone has lived through the night, Will he die at the break of day?

Slowly, slowly he raises him up, For his limbs are frozen and stiff. Slowly he looks on his comrades the dead As they lie at the foot of the cliff.

"My comrades, why have you left me here, Alone with the sea and the sky? Shall I alone live to tell the tale, How I have seen you die?

"No, oh no! May the dear Lord forbid! " In a pitiful voice he cried. And God on high gave heed to his cry - For he passed at the turn of the tide.

Roll on, O sea, to the foot of the cliff, And cover the bodies gray. Tosa, toss the limbs in the dim light of dawn - They will never see the day!

A Year of Travel

A year of travel - how the words entice! Italy, from south to north, Venice, the Alps; Germany's southl.and, the Rhine, Hol.Iand, Belgium and France, Pa.r i s , the city of the gay and beautiful; A week of touring in Touraine; Then London for three weeks, Cornwall, and home at Ia st, The plan is perfect, so you say (on reading i t}, A varied feast of a r t, and music, and street s ce ne s , Of classic ruins, chur ch e s , palaces and parks; Interspiced with country j aunt s , fresh aí r , the sea and mountains.

And so we started, setting sail from that great por t, Bidding farewell to friends and relati ves; Hearts filled, half with th e thoughts of home, Half with anticipations of delight a c r o s s the sea. A merry company aboa r d, cong ení al , friendly, So grown together thr o ' the long three weeks of cruise That when the parting carne there were many sad farewells.

Italy at Ia st, and the dirty streets of Napl e s , Cap r i , that glorious isle, sea-girt,with beauties that entice the traveller to s tr ol.lj Lingering ca r e s s ing l y along her shores Come next Sorrento, Amalfi and Ravello - Nam e s that linger in the memory like sunset hue s , The Belvedere with its many magic views, Ravello Is mountain-climbs and chestnut graves, Its sturdy natural peasants, swift to song;

Its old remains and gardens, its qui et hour s of thought. Then Cava and Pompei - first glimpse of Roman life; In ashes tho ' it lay, still charming, still hinting of the beauty of its prime, Revealing inner secrets of the Roman home. One forro still lingers in my mind, indelibly impressed - One frozen feminine forro baring its lines of beauty to the world - A Roman maiden who found immortality in death.

O, Rome! once mistress of the world, now of my h ea r t, What words can tell thy clas sic charro? The inspiration of thy potency Moulded by the hand of man in forros of beauty that no year s can dull; Thy ancient ruins, thy rn e di ee va.I streets; Thy sculptures so expressive of the past; Thy Sistine Chapel that can still amaze a world; Thy vistas, dissolving one upon the other like swiítly moving films. My mind' s eye now sees the sunset glories from thy Pinchon hill; Now proudly mounts thy Sparii sh Steps and ba ckwa r d glances o1er the moonlit rooís; Now strolls amidst the verdure of Bor ghé s e grounds, Watching the sunshine sparkle on th e grass. And scanning every passer-by, Now dimly threads the leafy labyrinth of the Doria park With a fair friend, under a fair sunset sky. Thy narrie shall ever call up memories of joy; Oí social calls, new charming faces; Pleasure of the opera and dance; Thy meeting, Vedder, and the joy oí it; New friendships, new !oves íormed (For to me all friends are lovers);

Those wa lk s , exchange of thoµghts; ·communion made inspiring by thy great destiny, O, Rome!

Florence - hill girt, eloquent of the Quatro Cento art - Thy charms half failed us in those dreary weeks of early spring, As a fair woman1s face is rendered ashy gray by cold. Would that I could see thee once again in the Spring Is prime - Could stroll about thy hills; Could linger on Fiesole, deep-drinking of her glorious view; Could steep myself in sunshine of Italian skies. Yet there is one "Sp r i ng " I never shall forget - Boticelli Is - for in him I found a fr end,í

A mystic friend who speaks to me of joys half-hid, Of beauties tremulous to the wistful gaze.

Venice! I review thy waterways And greet with joy again St. Ma r ks , The Doge1s Palace, the Canal With all its fairy forms of art domestic. I see again thy paintings after a lustrum 1s lapse; And admire, as of old, sorne canva s e s , Lose interest in other s , and find in exchange New beauties in artists unappreciated then.

At last Italy abandoned, cities left b ehí.nd, Comes the simple grandeur of the earth snow-clad; Of mountain tops outlined against a dazzling sky; Joy of winter sports, snow-skiing, coa s ti ng , walking under white-capped fir s Along the mountain- s ide ,

That was a pleasant week, Ma r r e d slightly by the strain of too much exercise - (Lessons still to learn in self-restraint, in patience). But, on the whole, a pleasant week of mingled work and play, of bracing aí r , of snow-lined sunsets and of mountain peaks.

O Muní ch , City of famed beer-halls Where German families enjoy at slight expense Nights of good cheer and rnu s i c , Nowhere in the world are "gemutlicheit" and "music" so enjoyed together In one long evening around a social table. The Germans invented b e e r , And they know how to drink it Slowly for good fellowship. They also ga ve great mu sic to the world. And here under one roof "Culrnba che r " and "Beethoven" flow together. Her e , too, in Munich science reigns, Set forth in the wo r Id l s first industrial museum. Think not that I forget thy a r t, O Munich, Or thy Wagnerian joys; thy museums and thy civic splendour s; Thy perfect cleanliness and simple elegance; Nor do I forget thy social joys, The sight of happy radiant faces, the play of comradeship, Of the ideal friendship that subsists Where Freedom Is youths and maidens hold converse.

And so good-bye to Germany, with her pleasant homes, Her men and women who know how to li ve, How to. extract from simple thing s their jo y s , Amsterdam next - arioth e r German r a c e , but different, better dressed; Joining the vigour of th e Teuton with the Pa r i s g r a ce , Thy women, Hol.l.and, are as fair arid charming As thy smiling meadows and thy subdued sea.

Belgium, with her aping air s of Par is And her softer r a c e carinot win our hearts as Holland Which helped to give our freedom birth. Nor can her a r t compare to Hol.Iand ' s In simplicity, in restraint or human touch.

París, city of the Muses' sway, Robed in thy beauty oí th e courtesan That pleads for pleasure and invites to joy; I lave thee, yet confess, to live too long within thy atmosphere Were to forget all effort and accomplishment. I love th y boul e va r d s , far- stretching to the e ye , Fair-lined with trees, broad and luxurious, tempting the loiterer on and on, Where in this world could one stroll on city streets With half the joy as her e, sa ve in our own fair capital? Thy pa r k s , thy quainter spot s Where streets wind in and out amid old buildings; Thy eager throng on pleasure bent, Overflowing every boulevard and park. A scene I never shall forget; to stand At clase oí day, amid the city dusk -

Her purple lights on every side - upon Champs Elysées And looking up and down, behold the line of swiftly moving vehicles; And in the distance, proudly limned against the sky , Thy Arch of Triumph in an aureole of mist. Beauty, beauty, beauty! Oh my heart - That faster beats in dreams of thee - Here is thy shrine, here is thy home, here thy decay; And in the land a eros s the sea, thy resurrection. And thanks again to th e e , O Paris, For old friends and new ones; For pleasant social life, for intimate joys of lofty conversation. Thanks for new literary plans. And mostly thanks for th i s , That thou hast brought me into comradeship again For three short weeks With that true friend and brother of the East, Hussein.

Touraine, the Loí r e , chateaux - How these words charm! Long sunny r de s , fresh ai r , swift passing scenery í - With sorne goal each day of beauty and of worth; Sorne cha.teau rich with history and art, Embellished with fond hands of many a king and courtier - Or, perhaps, the residence of love! Blush not, oh towers, at what transpired underneath your roofs! What a wealth of names - Charnbo r d, Azzy, Chinon, Loches,

Chaumont, Chenonceau and Blois - How can one choose a favourite? For me Chaumont will ever stand on its fair site Enticing, beckoning, tempting me to linger o'er its sunset glory.

Alas, the pen must lea ve these beauties and proceed To Albion Is shore - mi stress of the seas; To London, hugest city of the world. There is an inspiration just in this immensity, And to travel day by day ba ckwa r d and forward, miles apar t, And never yet see limits to thy pale - This is impres si ve.

Then joy, O London, joy of friends, new-found And ol d; joy of swift comrnuní on, Of thoughts that balance thoughts And sympathy that makes this old dr ab earth a song. Joy of thy suburbs, of thy social life, The solid pleasures of thy English heart.

But sorrow, London, sorrow and great sharn e For poverty that stalks thy streets; For privilege that lies entrenched behind a hundred barriers of wrong. Shame for thy stiff-necked pride That plays the miser to thy woman's need, And dost withhold the social justice of the ag e , Strange obdurate r a ce , Unyielding to the challenge of the times! Who shall say thy part is played?

But count me as one who , lover of the world, Loves still his British brother most.

And so we end the trip - Bringing home with us a treasure-trove Of art; memories of a thousand scenes of beauty; Clearer understanding of the European life and pr og r e s s ,

New insight into human nature. Thanks to th e e , dear friend, Whose genius has made possible this trip; Whose capacity for work has taught me new content; Whose insight into life Has lifted many veils for me.

Autumn Trails

Have you walked with the autumn wi nd s When the air breaths a blessing of health; Have you trod the forests grown old In hoarding their Le af - blown wealth?

In the glow of the sunset red When the day1s harsh sounds have fl e d , And over the earth The sky gi ves birth To its radiance nightly shed?

She Walked with Me

O Lo ve , she walked alone wi th me Upon the borders oí the sea; Foam-crested waves were running hi gh, And scudding clouds obscured the sky.

With lambert eyes she made the plea Will you be ever true to me? 11

And I, with consummate conceit Said: 11Yes! My ardor will complete.

With the íull force oí the wild wa ve , And every quaint adventure brave. And like those clouds that skim the sky, My love shall greatly qualiíy."

Beaut y is Immortal

Schubert sold his inspired song s For a mere pittance, And died a saddened and discouraged man. Little did he dream that through modern miracles oí sound His melodies would reach and bring delight To audiences oí millions.

He who creates true beauty - Whether in song or paint, or in fair words - Becomes thus one of the Irnmortals.

Laila

"What is the s e c r e t, my Laila That makes you smile so deep? 11

11 It is an angel's whisper That only the heart can ke ep, 11

What is the light from heaven That shines through your amethyst eyes? 11

It is a bit of star-glint

That sh on e first in Paradise. 11 What is the magic potion

That makes your charm divine? 11

1 have tasted life's sweetest nectar - Love lends me joy of her wirie , 11

Today I Can Only Sing

I am so happy today And I cannot tell why; Perhaps it's the light in the air, Perhaps it's the blue in the sky ,

I do not car e what ma y come Or what tomorrow may bring; Today I'm in love with life, Toda y I can onl y sing.

A Great Love

Come in,John, It's good to see you. Elizabeth has been upon the very verge of death. They would not let me stay there longer at her side - I needed rest, they s aí d, and sent me home.

But I cannot r e st, I cannot bear to be alone, And so I phoned for you. 'I'ha.nk.s, J'ohn, for coming. Sit down. He r e ' s sherry - tha.t ' s your favorite drink, As I recall. And he r e+s sorne cigarettes. Me? No, I'll neither drink no r smoke with you, But only talk - speak out sad thoughts that burn within. Such sharing of my heart with you tonight, Dear friend, will be the best of ariod yn e s ,

Ours has been a great Io ve l You understand! And yet You cannot grasp my full significance When I say - "Great." And if you ask - "How great? 11 I might say - "Greater than words, higher than the sta r s , Ample as life itself, and universal Like the air we breathe, yet warm like sun shí ne , 11

But when I say all thi s , what can it mean To you, unless your heart, like mine, has known Those ecstasies but rarely granted mortals?

When I look back, I marvel that I failed To realize what a paradise was mine! She loved me, gave me all her heart and mind, All her fair body; and yet more - her soul ,

A love so ardent, so all-possessing and po s s e s s ed , So warm, so sweetly gentle, yet so potent When the flood-tides flowed! How often she declared She loved my voice, my springing gait, my poí s e , My eyes, my Ií.ps , my smile of Lo ve , In fact She loved, she s ai d, naught less than all of me.

And I, needless to say, loved all of her - Adored her smile, the glory of her eyes, Her buoyancy arid spring-like energy of youth.

She knew her love for me before I knew My love for her. In fa ct , she broached it fir st, Or else perhaps we never would have mated. For I could not , I'm sure, have brought myself To propose that such disparity of age Should join in wedded bliss. It would have been Too selfish of me to have asked her youthfulness To find the consummation of her life In me - the warmth of June mated to Novernb e r , But so it was! We loved, and joined our lives! I guess that it was meant to be; so she declares, At any rate. A marriage made in heaven. This I know, it ha.s brought a heaven-on-earth to me!

I ask her sometimes if she doesn't regret Not marrying a younger man. No, she says - After meeting me she couldn 't endure Men of her age or there-abouts. What could They talk about compared with me? I don 't mean To vaunt myself. For it was she declared Our talk together ranged the universe, Plumbed depths of knowledge, soared on wings

Oí ecstasy in sharing side by side Beauties oí nature, oí music and oí poe sy, Toward everything we felt the same reaction. Twin soul s , you say? She made it simpler. ''We are the same! 11 she used to say, referring To a stirring love-theme she had seen portrayed Upan the screen, oí simple mountain maid and man. 11We are the same! 11 she oíten s aí d, 11For see How we respond the same to everything! 11

And it wa s true, we dí d, In very fact, It was amazing how we shared each oth e r ' s thoughts And feeling s. I wonder ií two souls can join Their roots together so the fruitage stems From both? In truth, it seemed that way with u s ,

I could say oí her, as Poe said oí "Annabe l Lee'', That she had no thought than to lave and be loved by me. And such Io ve is r a r e these days - with women's rights, . And woman1s conílicts between love arid self-expression. But truly, what is self-expression in a woman? Who knows? Perhaps it finds its best íulfillment In wifely devotion to a mate, a home, And happy children; in joy at her husband Is skill And ca r e e r - progress, That! s what Elizabeth thinks, At any rate. She says, "That' s the kind oí self- expression That suits me - to li ve in you and in your work. 11

One might go further into this philosophy oí sex - A subject deep as life itself. The yin and yang That so intrigued philosophers in China From long ago - the Active and the Passive;

The male,creative .. and the mate r e c eptí ve , Isn't that how life ftself is made? Doe s the same Relationship exist on mental planes? The male being typically the creator; And the female, silent par tne r , furnishing Occultly psychic and spiritual support .,- Joining her soul-stuff to his so that the fruit That i s sue s, the creation, is of them both, Yet both to function in their ówn--sex wa y.

Well, that is what she thinks; and far from me To disagree, seeing my real success is dueto he r a- Due to her spiritual and selfless love; Her buoying up of all my psychic strength; Her fructifying ardor laid upon the altar Of my creative urge, both light and warmth To me. The resulting gains are palpable To all who read and praise my latest works.

And now, am I to lose this light of life? It's fifty-fifty whether she live or die. There Is sorne hope left, thank. God, but not too much! Why did we risk it! The doctors warned us childbirth Might be dangerous. But she, in her sweet way, persisted. She craved a child by me, pledge of our love: A tiny replica to repeat the traits she loved In me - blue eyes, kind mouth, and all the rest - A bundle of love, to live upon her breast, Grow strong within her arms, and gladden her (She dreaded to speak of this) when I am gorie, And so we risked it - and I ha ve a son, But in the doing may have lost a wife! I shame to say, this is no recompense! (paces up and down in silence) Yes, I should be silent after such a speech -

Should be a shamed, But we're not masters of Our will. Rather, our emotions master us, And so you see me in this mood tonight - And I am at this moment torn in two Between desire to know the wor st, and fear To ascertain it.

"Why not try, " you say? "The news may be goodv " Well, why not? Here goes -

What? - There1s more than fifty-fifty chance? Good hope? Thank God for that! Now I can sleep.

Well, John, you1re here to see the curtain fall On happier ending to Act Two than I Had dared to hope for. Act One was deep despair. Pray God Act Three may yet still better fare, And bring the drama to a joyous end, "Amen! Amen!" you say? Thank you, dear friend! I need not keep you longer. You may go, Your kindly visit has relieved my woe. Now I can sleep. Thank God - I say again! Whennext I see you, pray there be no pain!

Irnmanence

Down the long puzzled corridor s of Time Eternity slips by with veiléd face; Nor realize we its hourly immanence, Or that Infinity inhabits present space,

Sunset Publ.í sh ed , 1902, Dartmouth Literary Magazine

Slowly the dying day is waning in the west; Slowly the sun is sinking to its re st; Slowly the crimson changes to a gentler hu e; Slowly the pink gives place to night1s majestic blue; The day is done.

Dusk in a City

In the dusk there is something att r a ct s me, In the dusk of a lar ge city. I love to feel the coming on of ni ght, To know the luminous sta r s will soon appe a r , I love the golden lamps of city streets, And the afterglow in the sky.

I stand in the midst of a street And wat ch its dirn perspective vanish In a purple mist. I stand on a street corner And watch the passers-by intent on th ei r home-going.,. I stand and look in a shop window golden with light. The moments swiftly pass. I turn - The sky is ví.olet, and the night has come.

Absence

I send my dearest love to you And waft it with a ki s s , Even absence can be bliss When it preves love to be so distant-true.

Would that our arms could intertwine. That still I could embrace you With ardent aspect face you And feel your warm heart nestle against mine.

But spirit can with magic power Defy the laws of spa ce; Make Time yield up its grace To shrink Eternity to one glad hour ,

This hour, th en , I spend with you In thoughts of happy da ys In memory of gracious ways Which erstwhile preved your love so warmly true.

Retreat

Sweet is the path of dalliance, when The west wind blows; And sunshine spreads felicity And joy abounding flows.

But ha r d, oh ha r d , th e bitter steps Retracing such a path; Striving, struggling on against The north wind Is blast!

The Saint

The Saint is one whom light shines through, they say. His vision of the truth can far outspan Earthly horizons, for by Cosmic Ray He glimpses regions beyond human ken,

Reality transcendent and sublime Along can motivate his lonely soul. His s cope no space can limit, nor can time. The Universa.! is his que st and goal.

He breaks the fabric of Society With forces uncondítioned and unborn Oí men. It is his airo to boldly free Humans from all that renders life forlorn.

He makes for progress, for deliverance. He sets th e captive free, raises th e de ad, And fills the barren soil with serní nanc e , And where the sheep are hungry, sees them fed ,

God ' s Bestowal

Why do you fear, faint heart? The trees are budding bliss, The shrubs in flower, And nature grows more beautiful each hou r , Can you perceive all this, And not with joy claim your own par t Of that which God bestows as radíant power?

With Dante

Eye hath not seen, ea r hath not heard Those things for which men Is hearts are fain - Strange joys and loveliness in store Beyond this meagre earth-bound pla ne ,

But we, with Dante, have been blessed To soar aloft and receive sight And touch of Love Superna!; to swoon Almost, before Its dazzling light.

A Toast to Love

Love is life's central law And hath not any flaw. Love travels ne a r and travels far, It move s the atom and the sta r , And median in this Cosmic s pari, Love plays the tyrant over man. Benevolent tyrant, we must grant, It satisfies our every want. To such a ruler we give toast - Love , ever be our benign ho st ,

Harvests

Love, make fertile the soil of my heart And deeper plow this Iand, to bear Flowers of poesy more fair And harvests rich for Beauty's rna r t,

If Dreams were True

If dreams were true I'd be with you Tonight, dear one - If dreams were only true!

The shades of evening falling, Then would I sink to sleep And send my soul thineward Over the mystic deep - Somewhere to meet under the stars; Sorn ewher e the soul Is tryst to ke ep, In dreamland where no distance ba r s ,

Did I not dream befare, dear one, That thou wert near? That thy soul' s fragrance beat in space? That thou wert with me fa ce to face, And I forgot to fear?

Did I not feel thy strength as mine When morning light did beam? Did I not bear a song away And sing i t all the li ve long da y - From that sweet holy dream?

If dreams are true, then I shall be with you Tonight. Let space be as it may, Let time refuse to stay, If dreams are true, then I shall be with you,

Picnic in January

It has come Saturday, so let us play - Our stage the river-bank, our time, a day That's bright with sunshine andas warmly rare As if June mixed her warmth with winter ai r ,

Here let us spend our hour s, let Nature steep Our very souls with her elixir deep Of joy. And when eyes have had their fill, Then taste the nectar poetry can distill.

Woo Browning's histrionic vivid power; Let Shelley' s beauty spell a trancéd hour Under blue skies where he so liked to r ove , Conceive his poems, meditate his Lo ve ,

But Iook, how cloud-wisps fill the pastel sky Presenting its own poetry to the eye; Upan the river silver moonlight glows; The water rippling as the soft breeze blows.

Now r adí ant has come the sunset time. And we can leave all artificial rhyme For the r apt poesy that Nature gives To every heart that burns where Beauty thrives.

Twin cedars dark against a luminous west, The eastern sky in softer colors dr e s s edy-. All this mild beauty so intrigues the heart, We're fain to stay and helpless to depart.

And now more luminous grows the sil ver moon Riding a pink and azure sky in tune With sorne faint mystic meaning, as if to say 11! bring new joys with the departing day. 11

Pack up the lunch thi ng s , Put each precious book Safe in the satchel. Take one lingering look At Nature Is wide drcumference of beauty - Then, ba ck to ci vilization and to duty.

Forget, Forgi ve

Forget, forgive! We have but once to Ii ve , Why clutter up the years With obstacles arid fears?

Let us not hold so fast To troubles that have pa s s ed , There come new suns As each year runs - And pe a ce will dawn at last.

Love

An ounce of the attar of Lov e Outweighs mere gol d, Outshines the fairest gems, Thrills more than story ever told, Outvalues pa.Lac e s and pomp And all the clas sic beauty Oí a world grown old.

Elyseum

Elyseum is where you are, Mavou rn ee n! Contentment is the land in which you dwell. And where the sunshine gilds those Deathless Fields, You walk amidst the flowers of asphodel.

Joy

Joy, from her own high cour t, Wandered one day to Earth. She found it a disheveled place, Where wastrel mirth Too much debased. Where grace Of a true happine s s was naught,

Then filled with quick dismay She turned to haste away - But the Creator laid a staying hand Upan her spi r it, with the soft command:

"Sta y here! No accident Caused your abrupt d e sc ent, 'Twas as We planned. Your presence here is meant To change the pulse of Earth; To replace sin and sadness With sanctity and worth, And to establish gladnes s. You are the envoy of my Love. That life is good, it is your task to preve. 11

Cupid Recks Not

Among earth1s fair ones we pick and choo s e , This one for intellect, that for wit - But Love does not enquire whom his arrows hit, Nor upon whom to ca st his noose!

To Irene - Aged Six

Irene, you bring from sunny Greece A nature all inclined to "pe a ce 1¡ Just as your narne implies. Beauty dwells upon your fa ce , You move with vibrant strength and gr a ce , And wisdom lights your e ye s ,

Whence is deri ved that extra sen se, That quick and sure intelligence Which colors all you do? Your roots reach long into the pa st - Do racial qualities still last? Is the Greek genius true?

Imagination still can trace, In classic features of your fa c e , The beauty that was Greece. In all things to be moderate Is in you such a ruling trait As Plato could r el ea s e ,

To aid you in your upward way Is but a rightful debt to pay, Which the world owes To the Greek mind, which ever sought, And found by concentrated thought , Light where the spirit glows.

Poetry

Greatness inhabits poetry, so it s e ern s , Not by strange meter s or enraptured d r earn s , But lending luminosity to simple themes.

O Come to Me, My Love

The wind is sighing: "0 come to me, my love, While in the west the day is dying And clouds are lit with gold above l "

The twilight birds are calling And laughs the distant Ioon, And now refreshing dew is falling In the shadow of the rrioon,

O come to me, my Iove] For the night is not complete Save as thy beauty With the beauty of the stars doth meet.

Joy Versus Happiness

Like dawn and sunset colors Happiness is transitory - But joy is as abiding as the air we breathe.

Happiness is ephemeral; It is like the morning dew, Which when dissapated by the glare of day Is as if it had never been. But joy is as constant as Nature1s rythmic pulse.

Happiness is a gift at times bestowed By the benevolence of God . But joy is our own victory over life.

To the Sanbo rris , (Proprietors of Mountain View House, North Woodstock, N. H.)

Yea r s, treat them gently as they treat their guest. Life is a car avans e r aí , at best - A Golden Inn where friend encounters friend, And celebra tes that tie to journey' s erid,

The First Letter

Your letter charged with radiant love is here, The first received since we were forced to part. Its very penstrokes fill my soul with ch e e r , Its words electrify my yearning h e a r t,

A joy so great could not in normal peace Be ruminated, as one tastes content, Sorne action must the tensing nerves release. And so along th e terraced walk I went.

The river pines in the soft summer ní ght, The eres cent moon and the undying stars Whispered to me sorne Island of Delight, Where time and trouble set no irking bar s.

And now this view, that with such beauty teems, Dissolves into strange distances that lead Beyond this world, into a land of dreams, Where souls on love' s ambrosia ever feed.

You are My Audience

You are my audience - You can understand My r aptur e s , my creative dreams. You hold my hand While r ag e s the daemonic force That brings fruition where abundance teems.

The world as yet is little keen To listen to my songs. It goes its somber ways And gives to Ca e s a r what to him belongs. It has no time to pause and j oy In scent a nd hue of roses at my gate. Its pre ssing duties sweep it swift along - And I am only still an oth e r one Amidst the busy pulsing throng.

I am only one, to many - But to thee, belové'd, all. This is my joy and inspiration. This is the hopeful call Of Destiny to me, bidding me strive Creatively While faith is still a.Iive ,

Love K.nows no Limit

Lave never can be limited in scope. As sight is nothing if not constant seeing - So lave is nothing if it does not reach To every nook and cranny of our being.

Beauty

One thing I see quite cl.ea r - That life' s transcendent beauty God holds supremely d ea r , But what can we sa y of duty?

The one has eminent dorn aí.n, . Is the other an intrusion? And if we can not both r etaíri, Which wins in the confusion?

It well may be the cosmic plan To unite one with the other; And only in the mind of man Is duty any bother.

On a Sunset Hill

Life struggles, forges ahead somehow. Earth is sore-furrowed with the plough; Harvests are yielded only to delve and toil; What we would gain, we scatter all to wi n] We strive, we sweat in daily work and moil, And when we seek to bring our harvests in, The joy they give is never sweet enow.

But in a mom ent, on a sunset hill By a thrush- choraled thicket crowned, Life discovers how it can stand still - All cares, all sorrows drowned; While Earth and Heaven the charmed senses fi Il , And Eternity stands close a r ound ,

Discarnate Lave

Shelley, in a letter to his friend Gisborne, wrote: 11! think one is always in lave with something or other; th e error - and I confess it is not easy far spirits cased in flesh and blood to avoid it - consists in seek- ing in a mortal image the likeness of what is perhaps eternal. 11

It is no t earthly lave the poet seek.s, But a brief foretaste of the lave divine - That tender passion that invites and heals Hearts that in bitter loneliness repine.

Where such compassion flows in human f r arn e , Th e poet hastens to absorb and give That ecstasy which union can impart To all that breathe and warmly move and live. It is this Spirit that encompasses The planet, far its paradisal good, To move each being into ha rrnony With the celestial, universal mood.

The poet brings to all this human love Intuitive power of sight And seeing far beyond the multitude Discovers Love's more deeply hid delight.

Love Flew with Ti red Wing s

Young lave, she flew with tired wings Burdened with pas sions Is weight; Till wearily she let passion fall - Oh! Then she rose to heaven1s gate ,

Young Love

Our love was born amidst the April bud s , And grew like them to flower Beneath the aun, Ah, radiant days! When all the earth burned with the spring's caress, And beauty reigned on every heath and hí Il ,

So faí'nt at fir st the life That trembled on ea ch bush and tree, Scarcely could Hope itself foresee The glorious growth of leaf and blossom. And love, beneath the guise of friendship, Grew likewise swiftly to its flower of faith And made an Eden where our hearts could dwell.

The first smile that trembled on your lips Was like the stir oí Nature in her spring. And the first look, full orbed, That flashed from soul to soul - Was like the blue oí April skies, Giving a hint oí Summer's pa r adí s e ,

Only a Spring-time idyll? Ah, then bid Spring forever stay! That you may still smile on , And I may dr e arn , Until life's fateful final day,

Why Wake I with Such Joy?

Why wake I with such joy? Thy heart indeed to my heart must have spoken; And in the silence of the night Exchanged love' s token.

Daylight is d e ce i ví ng , But in the Spirit world All secrets are unveí.Ied , All mysteries unfurled.

Look in my eyes and say again The words you said beneath the stars! Tell me again th e spirit cannot stay A prisoner behind its earthly bar s.

I Drink

I <lrink from the well of your eyes, I feast on the charm of y9ur fa c e , Your love is a constant surprise And a freshly given grace.

Each day is a glory renewed. Each night a mystic thrill. From what magic is love brewed, That its quaff can never fill?

How Can We Part!

One more embrace! Smooth ba ck your hair And let me gaze upon your face And feast upon the beauty th e r e , Your lips again to kí s s , Sharing compelling bliss! Thus magnetized by lave My feet refuse to rriove , I cannot bear to pa r t From the e , Dear Heart! Can Heaven offer more than this?

Antoinette is Coming

Sing for me, thrush, and gaily sing, For Antoinette is coming! Sing jubilantly, then, and let your song Suit my heart's humming.

Our Love

If it were given me to chant our love I might build thereto a choir of heavenly song. And yet, because earth sense is so earth-bound I merely sing of joys that might belong On any planet underneath the sun, Forgive me, dearest, that Ido our love such wrong!

I Loved Thee

When the Fates their webs were spinning In the misty maze of Chao s , In the infinite beginning Before earth or sea or sky was - I loved the e ,

When the primal germ of being Dormant lay in Natur e+s bo s orn; When there was not sight nor seeing And the soul knew not its freedom - I loved th e e ,

When what was to be created First took shape in mind of Chronos; When the e a r th and sky were mated And the Chaos became Cosmos - I loved the e.

All the while that earth lay basking "Neath the r adí ant glow of sunshine, In her bosom all life masking Ready to obey the God- sign - I loved the e ,

When first man arose divinely, Walked upright and knew hi s hour; And the female built more finely, Held man Is might with gentler power - I loved the e ,

And through life's eternal journey - Since my love is part of Being - Who would choose to rend you from me? Even God would choose not , seeing How I loved thee !

You

You are to me The bounty of the sea, Its tangy freshness; The richness oí the land That with an open hand Dispenses lar ges s.

To me you bring Th e beauty oí the Spring, Its endless gladness; And Summer Is cheery sun Through which each dusk is won Without chill or sadness.

Each season brings respite, Each day has new delight With you beside me. So may the years go by And through eternity Your love betide me.

Beyond Spa c e and Time

Whether he r e , or whether the r e , I carmot dream you shall not share Your life with mine, my life with yours ,- Yea, a.Iwa y s , with a heart that wears The imprint of my wakening kiss As love' s fluorescent consciousness.

Romance

lf love's our romance, No day is too long. For hearts that dance, Life is a song ,

While blue rules the sky Da y can 't depart. With you nearby, Joy rules my heart.

Aspects oí Eternity

I had explored the mysteries oí space; Wonders of human life; the subtle grace Tha.t Beauty daily emanates; the joys That Nature through her Universe deploys.

But one region lay all unexplored; I never realized Io ve , till I adored Yourself; and in your cosmic !ove for me Discovered aspects of eternity.

There is no Measure

How do I love you? Can one measure time, Or set a limit to the sky1 s expanse? Then why attempt by quantity to mete That love which Time or Space cannot enhance?

Summer Night

O gentle breeze of summer night; O blossoms that rnake sweet the air; O fa ce so fair, for love Is delight; O touch so sweet, O perfumed hair!

How beautiful your pledgeful glance; How soft the loving wor d s , and low; How moonlight doth our love enhance With softly scented winds that blow.

A Sla ve to Love?

Who would be sla ve to sill y !ove When venture beckons him to rove? Yet who would lonely pace the earth When !ove has such a potent worth To soothe the heart, inspire the soul , And make life1s disparateness whole? Upon the favoring gods it must devolve To heal this problem that no man can solve.

As I Awake

As I awake from nightly dreams of thee, The dawn spreads golden splinters on the hill; And birds are choraling their serenade In notes that seem to say: "She !oves me still! "

.... -61- Love

Love is not something reason can opine; It is not, like sunshine, generally spr ead, Those only who have felt its spa r k divine Can know how its eternal fires are fed!

Ever

''I'll love you a.Iways l " is a theme That thrills in poetry and song. But íor eternity or for a da y - It is not time but heart-beats that are long~

Let Us i n Joyance Walk

Bel ovéd, let us in all joyance walk Amidst lush greenness of eternal val e sr.; There of our immeasurable love to talk; Delight our hearts with fond romantic tales.

We should walk on, nor turn to right or Le ft, Our course is to sorne mystic gleaming goal, Where de a r affection never is bereft And fellowship is pleasant to the soul.

And of the beauties that there meet our eyes, And of love's splendors, let us truly tell The world; that other Iove s , like ou r s , may rise Skyward on sorne transcendent star to dwell.

Mea Culpa!

The love that should be thine, I ch_erished but a day. The love that might be mine, I cast it quite away!

Brahma

There is a tree upon which sits A bird that never flies. The golden sun illumes its crest And peaceful, sleeps upon its breast - While far below, the world of action Ií e s ,

Pea ce

Far from the raging cr owd, Far from the surging sea - Where perfect peace Can never cease - There would I dwell with the e ,

Love at a Concert

Two at a concert, music and Iove , Two souls merged in symphonic mood. Arm against arm the warm blood beata, But the pulse of two souls is a greater fl ood ,

Love Is Golden

Love is golden. When it gl.eam s , Life's as golden As it seems. We are holden To love1s rays For the joyousness that plays, For the magic of a kiss, For the strange unending bliss That fills embrace Ever with sorne new delight; And endows Lovers' vows With both heat and light.

Love' s Devotion

I waft you my spirit1 s devotion, The highest love man can know - A love that the heart tips with fire And the soul suffuses with glow.

Such love has no form to grow old; No weight gravitation resists. As Iove , its existence is timeless; As spirit, it moves as it lists.

O Sweetheart

O sweetheart! There be many hearts that beat Th e faster for thy fairy fac e , Yet none with a more ardent heat Than mine. Then grant me chiefest place Amidst the fick.le changes of thy grace.

The Open Air

Sometimes the passion seizes me to go A-roaming; A wanderlust that drives me o'er the lea And bring s me home at dusk Amid the gloaming.

Sometime s the lengthening shadows of the sun Are fingers beckoning me to walk. Sometimes I think the evening lies more close When through the Le a ve s , One h e a r s th e whisper of a dying b r e e z e ,

Sometimes I hate to leave the open air - It seems as if my soul found comrades the r e , Sometimes I think I'll follow when the voice Comrriand s that between home of man and Nature' s haunt s , Forevermore I make a lasting choice.

Glad News!

Leave s, sing in the soft breeze This glad refrain: 11! shall see her again soon, See her soon again. 11

Waves lapping on the shore, Lisp it soft but clear: "I shall be with my b e.lovéd , Soon be with my dear! 11

Gulls floating in the sky Spell me, by your fl.íght And in mystic symbols weave The theme of my delight: 11She '11 be her e tonight! 11

Far Meadows

On the far meadows of the world Where blows the asphodel, I would with thee, Dear Heart, recline And all my lave retel!.

There shall no evil enter there And nothing to annoy. For this is Io ve Is sweet sanctity All dedicate to joy.

And here the magic hours shall pass While Time itself stands still; And here the heart a fragrance breathe And take of Love its fi Il ,

Thi s is a Land of no Returri, An Empire of the Heart - No boundaries to its dornaí.n, No horizons apart.

The Garden Tryst

Bel.ové'd, come to me! Over the garden, shadows softly mo ve , And Natu r e+s subtle spell invites to love. So come to me!

Longing for thee The heart within me turns to sadness And all my being burns with madness For love of th ee ,

Be lové'd, hasten here! The golden moon will make our spirits bright While summer perfumes ravish the still ní.ght, Dear He a r t, be near For my delight!

One Hour

God gave us one sweet hour of Pa r adí s e , How we arrived there, and by what device, I know not; or why He will not let us stay In this r apt spot forever and a day.

Dreamland

Where have I been! A memory lingering, Fails to establish a revealing clue. From half asleep I wake with strange delight; This hour in dreamland I may have spent with you!

I Left You

I left you and the spirit drooped its wings And forgot the song it daily sing s Since you and I were one , How trails its path along the dust, How the glad beatings of its heart are hu sh ed, How faded is its ga rb, That once of Love ' s own golden threads was spun!

PART II

POEMS OF THE SPIRIT A Thought in the Midst of Nature

Get rid of your little self, It only stands in the way! Become empty, Then fill your self with the Universal; Let it flow into you And occupy the spa ce hitherto occupied by the self.

Live in the Universal, Act from the Universal, And you will be come empowered by the Universal.

There is no Abstract

There is no abstract Love , but only love In reference to other s - vital streams That surge from pole to pole and subtly cha r g e The batteries of life with paradisal dr e arn s ,

There is no Beauty but is palpable, To blossom forth in roses, paint the sky With sunset hue s , ernbue the human flesh With gr ac eyand bring each seed to fructify,

There is no abstract Godj but only Life Expressed in for m s that rythmically be at With cosmic energy. And back of these - The Traceless Cause of all that is concrete.

Reas surance

Why did you lea ve us at the prime of life? There was no sin, no failure, or no strife To cause your going. Rath e r , your too young days Were spent in fair and ever praiseful ways. Y ou stood the well belové'd and the dear To all who knew you, and your path seemed clear To fame, to fortune, and to great achievement. Now You lie beneath fields where flowrets grow, Fair in their springtime ecstasy; but to you Their beauty - all earth's beauty - forever lost to view. It is not just of Destiny to play this pa r t Of tragedy, and steal you from our mournful heart. You had many y ea r s to Li ve , to Io ve , to jo y, On this fair pl.anet , Death claimed you yet a child - Passed many to whom life was aging grief To seize your youth. Too cruel such a fate, beyond belief.

Dear grieving friends, you know earth-life is fair, But think you life yields no joy, no beauty here In this land unknown to you, now known to me In dawning splendor as death' s shadows flee? Be lo véd , no scene that earthly eyes behold - .No mountain range upsoaring fold on fold, No sea coast with dark cr ag s and shining sho r e , No gracious woodlands whispering their leafy lore Can in the slightest vie with scenes we see Beneath this glorious cosmic can opy, Beauty to you is but an írnag e faint Of that great Beauty celestial seasons paint. Bright exquisite episodes and joys of dr e arn s Granted at times to mortals - now it seems - Were but a foretaste of tha t joy divine Which this immortal life doth render mine.

What More Can I Ask?

Here I am in the midst of b eauty, Gazing over the tree-rimmed river Toward the horizon of Eternity. What more can I ask or want; Save that all who thus sit here - Now and in the future years - Will also feel th e Pea ce of God And a tranquil joy of living.

Cosmic Gr ac e

All creatures share the divine gift of life, But human life is more than flesh and blood; And man alone, of all created things, Is gi ven appetite for spiritual food ,

Alone of all created things, his soul Escapes disintegration and decay; He needs Bread oí Heaven for this g r owth , And Divine guidance on his cosmic way.

Let brutes fulfill their blinded destiny, Let molecules cohere by na.tur e ' s Iaw, But man may mount to more empyrical heights By secret paths his spirit vision saw,

Man' s power is to consciously contact The cosmic Energy, the creative Might That buoys th e universe with vibrant life, And floods man' s spirit with celestial light.

Why This Sadness?

We have not destroyed thy joy, But only the obstacles to joy. Hast thou not heard That thou must love Us more than these? Our love is j ea.Ious , And it brooks no rival Iove ,

Thy heart is Our terrestial home. But how can the Beloved abide with strangers in thi s home ? The temple of thy being is Our throne - But must be purged before we reign therein. Then loo sen the world Is hold upon thee. Love , farn e; and riches, These earthly shadows melt away When Sunlight scatters darkness from its path,

The Greatest Truth

The pity is, life' s greatest truth That takes away from life all ruth Is still too little known to man. The Milky Way he learns to sean, And all creation tries to sp an; Escaping what a child may find, A truth not conquered by the mind - That God is here and God is kí nd, And we are part of Hi s eternal plan.

Involuted Force

Matter is involuted force. But what, essentially is force? Here lies a cosmic mystery - to trace life to its primal source.

The Source is One - there is no mediation, no difference between Matter in universal patent motion, and force that noves un s e en,

But man, on the periphery of life, is torn by dualism. Matter is the stage on which he a ct s , but Spirit brings a s chí sm ,

Man lived as matter and obeyed its laws - he moved as nature Is al.ave , Like birds and beasts he strove for daily bread from infancy to grave.

And like dumb brute s, was buffeted and moved by Motion-under-Law. But Man is more than matter, and his soul outmastered all it saw,

For Man is sparked by that sarn e vital Force that everywhere deploys Matter in myriads of specious forms the universe enjoys.

Man also is deployed - submission is hi s fealty, hi s par t. But his seeming helplessness need yíeld no more than fealty of heart.

Man I s m.ind, in union wi th the Central Mindg; the Pulse-Beat of Existence - Enables him to mold a mastered world against its dumb resistance.

The Demiurge

What Cosmic Power lies behind the birth Of suns and constellations? What purposed pattern governs all the growth Of people and of nations?

Nature is not hapha za.r d, Even rocks Obey the Cosmic Will; And lofty mountains melt to nothingness Under continuous rill.

We live by years and centur e s , and sean í

A stable wor ld, it seems. But Time, when viewed as a foreshortened film Make s life a garish dream.

For as in nightmar es , scenes so swiftly change That eons pass as hour s, Earth1s story is a drama strangely shown Of vast Titanic powe r s ,

Life Eternal

Self-love and Cosmic Lave Cannot at the same moment Occupy the house of the soul. One or the other Must be par amount,

If self-love rules This house will not be sanctified. It will remain a pagan temple, Dedicated to selfishness, to pride, And to a host of di sha rrnoní.c a,

He only who will lose his life Shall save it unto Life Eternal!

Regal in the Realm of Spí r it

What is the es sence of r eldg ion ? It is attuning oneself to the Uní.ve r s e , Existence is a symphony Where ea ch must play his part harmoniously. Mere goodness, of itself, is not enough. 'l'h~ state of harmlessness, so worth attaining, Is only the first step toward ultimate perfection. To be fulfilled we must be greater than our deeds. We must become the rulers oí our soul s- And regal in the realm oí Spirit.

Celestial Gue st

Come in, my Lord, and take your place; You are awaited her e, The hearth is swept, the house is filled With an expectant cheer e

At lastYou come! At last You deign Our emptiness to fill! Without Your presence walls are bare And joy stops at the sill.

Awaiting You with longing heart We lived but for this day, And now we have one boon to ask: Here may Your Presence stay; Here may Your love its blessings pour Forever and for a ye!

The Little Child

Why <lid Christ set the little child Before us As example of perfection? It is because the child is full of cheer, Full of expe ctatfon, And devoid of animosity.

The child can lean upon the Universe With faith free from all anxiety. lf we could but remain thus chfldlfke , And still possess the mind and will of the adult, We should arrive at life's maturity.

Journey Through the Night

Come, O soul., let us through prayer Rise high above the planes of care To the Throne of Eminence Where angels chanta heavenly air Of aweetne e a, awe and reverence For that divine unseen Presence Which all beings ,~l'om their birth Strive toward, as the rotating Earth Strives toward the Sun, yet never reaches. So gravitate all thíng s, all czeatur-ee, Ali beings both oí Earth and Heaven, All essences of the planes aeven,

The night is young ~ there is yet time To journey to this heavenly clime. The body we will leave behind - Too heavy for the soul and mind To carry through such starry spaces; Too gross to share celestial graces. Let it be tb.ere wrapt in sleep, Let it rest in slumber deep. Such a journey would fatigue it8 Such an altitude would grieve it.

Re st in peac e, then, body dear - We shall find you lying here On our return; and when you wake You may of our joys partake. You will greet a happier dawn And forget ali times forlorn. You will wonder why you sing; But no remembrance will you bring

To penetrate your grosser state, Except this ecstasy elate Like music at God's Heavenly Gate.

This Planetary Task

Would you enlarge the pattern of your lives? Love one anothe r ! He who for self too much contrives Manages to smother The soul within him. If we would fill our life Is cup to the brim And rejoice the angels of our birth, We must love our fellows every one , And hasten to establish unity upon this strife-torn earth; There is no foreignness beneath the sun. The divine bounties follow him who ever strives To be to all mankind a brother. Then take no rest until this planetary task is done.

The Divine Presence

What is this Presence that the saints speak of? We can't see God, as Moses saw Him in the Burníng Bush We do not hear Him calf , as Samuel did; We do not feel Him take our hand to r se,í

As did the child of Rome Is centur ian, Yet we can feel His Presence if we so elect; And by much seeking we can draw Him to us.

Love Conquer eth All

Say not that Lave is blind. It hath a keener sight Than any hawk that swoops its prey From airy height.

Say not that Love is weak. There is no !ion so strong. It cleaves unto its trembling prey A time lif e-long.

Say not that Love is vain. The universal law Enjoins that death and lave be man1s For evermore.

Say not that Love is false. It is the binding force That maketh law and freedom one From the same s our ce ,

The Feast at Canna

At Canna Is íeast our Lord broke bread, And gave Hi s friends the gift of wine - To prove that earthly joys are good And !ove may flow as comrades dí.ne ,

Joie de Vi vre

When things flow normally, it is a joy Just to exist, to feel, to thrive As part and pulse of Universal force - Rej oicing in the gift to be ali ve.

This consciousness of life, this inwardness Of power is foretaste of Eternity, Where all things flow in a transcendent stream And vivid thoughts become reality.

Then stop, from time to time, to savor Ií fe , And let the world slip by without concern Of time or trouble - k.nowing every joy, Once tasted, cannot fail but to return.

The Cosmic Melody

As the Cosmos vibrates musically, And all else s ta.y s still This rnu s c, all-embracing í and intoxicating; It has no prelude or conclusion. While drink.ing in th e golden notes of the Celestial flute , The h e a r t forgets to beat.

Thi s music never ceases, But our capacity to hear is transient; For mortal frame cannot endure too long Such ecstasy of Being.

I Can 't See God

I can 1t see God, He is beyond my ken! But yet I can envision Him In many things around me. I can see Him in the flowers of spring, In sprays of apple blos soros, And in the r apt hearts of roses.

I can see God in the lilting flight of birds And hear Him in their joyous s ong s, I can see Him in the foliage That gently flutters in the summer b r e e z e , I can see Hirn in the azure sky Softly fleeced with floating cl.oud s ,

And I can see Him be st in fellow men - Men of integrity and solid worth; Men of splendidly creative minds, Of noble hearts and dedicated souls. In women whose gracious syrnpath y, Like sunshine, warms the path of Ii fe , And coaxes growth in children as in fl.owe r s ,

And I can see Him in the little child Who constantly beholds our Father' s fa ce , 11 The child, who comes from Heaven "Ta-ail.íng clouds oí glory as he comes. 11 Here I perceive the divine qualities Of freshness and of spontaneity; Swift powers oí creativeness; A cosmic love which is outflowing Without the limitations of de aí gn, Or any bounda r e s , í

I can not here see Godo But I can see so many lovely things on eaxth Which speak to me of God, That l can feel I know Him intimatel v-

The Way

The sage studies the nature of exí stence So that he can establish harmony within himself - And thus with othez s, and the Universe. He avoids pzíde as lifeºs chief arroganceº He expresses gentlenes s, humility and Iove; And by so doing wins all people to hírn, Because he eeeks only to gíve, No one opposes him. He constantly adores that One Whose e s sence is Celestial Harmony Whose inner mystery is Love,

Zen

A cup must be empty before it is fiUed; The subtlest music is when sound is stilled. Frail feather s can safel y outride the storm~ Kind souls traverse danger without any harm.

Who strives for self has a pitiful goal; Forgetting the self endows man with the Whole.

Forgetting time gives us endless birth. And love rnake s us deathless while still on Earth.

-83- -

---------- What do You Now, Bright Spirit?

Bright spirit0 tell me prayv what do you now? Does-Heaven urge to actfon, as on Earth? Do neceasary taaks await ycur skill? Or are you in a world where pensive thought Holds your attentíon, holds you all enrapt? Where Beauty wea ves her magic spell And you recline in fields of asphodel?

Have you forever left the ti.es of Earth? Or are you cognizant of deeds done her e, Where aU. the world's a stage, and drama shifts Inconsequentially to teae s and gloom From grateful stretch of warm and halcyon days? Are you disturbed by these events? And do You yeazn to rectify what mortals wrong? Ala s, it is no Heaven where angels mourn Or are concerned with the affaire of Earth More than is naedful, from their vantage poínt,

00 not for you, up There0 to be constrained Or worry longer against chance or fate Which actí vates the drab concerns of Earth. You are at peace, you live in quiet powe r , Concerned with loftier activities And glories past our boundaries oí thought,

You need not look below. But we have need To look Above, haply to seek you There By means of faithful love and earnest prayer , We need your help, the vibrance of your love, That added power all souls possess above; We need your guídance, spirit counseling,

We need what sainUy comfort you can bring From that Abstraction we call Pa r adí s e , We need what Higher Wisdom can devise To urge our spiritual progress now and he r e , Preparing us for service in your Sphere.

Then hold our hand s, be with us night and day. Lend us your bz-ightne as , that we wend our way To that immortal bour ne , so strange to this, Where light and joy share an eternal bliss.

Only There Remains!

Life is ephemeral - Only there remains The noble profile of the hills, Grandeur of mountain-chains.

The strongest th r one s will break, And dynasties will fall; As for earth1s comrnone r s , Oblivion covers al.I,

Chang e , change, change! Extinction follows life; The Reaper with his ruthless scythe, Time with impetuous knife.

OuUasting all the hills, More durable than rocks Love , only, can eternalize And wiri against Time's shocks.

The Mystery of Life

The mystery of life! Is it deoxyribone-nucleic-acid? Or is it something el se, Beyond the realm of physics and biology?

He who would penetrate thí a mystery Must penetrate behind the veil That matter hangs before our eyes To curtain off Re ali ty; Must first acquire new powers of sí.ght, Gain other eyes to see, That matter is but spirit in disguise.

Make this the primary axiom Of a new search for Truth - a trail That leads beyond the ken of the materialist To a new universe of Spirit; Spirit that creates and molda to forro Ali matter that our outer sight r eveal s ,

Let.' s ata rt; then, with this axiom, An axiom which logic cannot prove. For as Ouspensky says, The Spirit deals in other terms Than those the Greeks established. Call it "illogic", call it "Intuí tí on ", Call it what you will - So long as you acknowledge this: That matter is but Spirit in disguise.

This stupidity of the materialist, The Hindus hada name for t, í

Milleniwns ago they called it Mayaness ~ Strange blindness causing hwnans to remain Contcnt at the mere gateway to the Universe, When all they had e.xplored Was that which Life externalized. "Maya" - "Dlusion" - a good name For deoxyribone-nucleic-acid!

But let' s forget the physicist, And with new eye explore the Uníver se , With this new-eye .. of-God we shall discern In every atom doors to certain Truth - To knowledge that transcends the sense-wczld, This is the Univerae we should explore, The Noosphere, as Chardin called it.

Let'a realize that we are a part - A struggling, still evolving part - Of a stupendous Stream of Life That flows through ali Eternity e And in tbis realm, Spirit-ruled, What is the role that man mu.st play? Let' s lea ve the laboratories for a while - Leave lene and scalpel to the scientists - And venture into new-dimensional fields Unexplored by footrule or by telescope.

Let's realize0 with our inner sight,, We stand upon the threshold oí a magic age, The da wn of a new da y; Whenall hwnanity wi.11 find its way to God, Or be sloughed off, perhaps, By cosmologic fate.

The most tha.t sctence can perform Is feed and clothe ua, give us domí cík, And speed us thxough the vacant skies Like Ovid Is hor seman Ever followed by our discontent. Science brings no panacea; no cure~allp It has no remedy for Life itself! Spirit0 only11 can perfect the life Thai staxted on Creation's fateful day,

Unspiritual.ma.n is creature of eventa; Victim of circumstance; Flotsam and jetsam on the stream of life; Caught in a whirl to which he has no clue, This tragic situation he well knows ~ But ignores its r emedy,

But spiritual man knows his directions; Holds his tiller fearlessly Through sunshine and through storm, To distant harbors of success - Supreme of which is how to live ser enefy, The man of Spirit knows his goal s; He knows his powex, too - Whence and how it is derived To motívate; to energize and heaf, He walks upon the earth As man was meant to walk on that far day Whenfirst he stood ezect, Looked skywazd, And began his human evolutíon,

Yes11 skyward is the look And skyward is the goal, Man led by spirit is no stranger on the eazth, Tha.tvery Power that created him Now recreates hírn, too;

~88- Guides him in pe rpl exity, Empowers him when we ak, Rejoices him when sa d, And gives him never failing strength For noble deeds) Deeds free from greed and strain.

But why go on, The catalog oí these celestial gifts - Prolonged ad infinitum - Would not convert a single soul , Spiritual life is an experiential one - We learn by doing. Argument can never win a soul to God, Or lead one into ways oí Spirit.

Ali we can say is: "Come, you who are athir st, And drink from thí s perennial spring! 11 Destiny pe r suade s , but never forces. And many rrien, pe rhaps , will choose to stay Within the limitations oí the bí o sphe r e, That there is another Sphere more potent to evolve ín, Each human must discover for hírn s elfj;» That inner mystery oí life Which scientific thought can never penetrate.

Matter and Mind

Creation is idea turned into form; Thought is the start oí deed; All matter once was Mind; and still on Mind Eternally must feed.

Compassion

Signa! of sor r ow, Bearer of distress, Why do you wake me in the d ead of night?

Is it that I may share in someone's sufferings, May add a prayer For victims of misfortune?

How sad the heart beats As horror travels through the streets! Yes, we mourn for even "one of the se ",

But "over there 11 no sir en sounds - Only the blast of bomb s, Dangers that mangle life.

What an idiotic world! What insanity! Here we mourn for even one who suffers.

But over the r e , how we rejoice That thousands die in agony, Hostile souls whose tortures bring us only joy.

Has the world gone mad? Or has the world Always been frozen in this crazy dream?

It is time that we woke up. Time we abolished wholesale needless death, Swept it from our planet into the hell where it belongs.

It is time war ceased - Time that Love increased Till all the world is held in Its ernb r a ce ,

If You Split the Atom]

If you split the atom, you will find Him; If you ride the heavens, He is the r e , Nothing is, without His forming fiat; Nothing lives without Hi s tender careo

The Tao

The soft overcometh the brittle To yield wins more than to fíght, Relinquishment solves every battle, And meekness is greater than .mrght,

Sensitivity

Do not regret being born sensitive, For sensitivity is an advanced quality of the human race, A chief factor of c r eatí ve genius. To such souls - open and receptive - Life open portals to celestial beauty.

The Goal of Existence

Shall we go journeying on, life after life, Until we reach the Center of all being? This is not reached by movement or by time, But only by a different Power of Seeing.

The La w of Planetary Love

When will humanity progress From brilliant function of the intellect To a still more dazzling Age of Spirit?

Should the burgeoning of Spirit win control, Life will be paradisal. From this perfectioning of man Will flow world peace and b r othe r hood, Fair distribution of the needs of life, General culture and prosperity.

Man has done well to rule the earth and sky º Now let him wisely rule himself Under the law of planetary Iove ,

Endles s Horizons

Our greatest deeds are but a cheering hint Of powers that lie buried deep within. The planetary Spirit aids all those Who daily strive to use their inborn gifts. As we advance, horizons move ahead And beckon us to splendid distant goals.

O My Soul

Dance to the co srrríc rythm, O my s oul , For in each separate part inheres the Whole. Space is no larger than the place you hold , And Time a fairy- story being told.

Why Wear Yourself Out?

Save at the court of regal grace hnperiousness is out of place. The daily life does not support Dem and s that are too fierce and short.

Intensity will flag, at length, Consuming its own store of strength - Effortle s s action, like the sun , Wins tasks before they are begun.

What the World Needs

The world needs peaceful souls In order to build peace. It needs united hearts In order to establish unity. It needs, in all of us , the realization of Reality, And the ability to function on the Causal pl.ane ,

Why Does Man Create?

Man creates because he has to. Not for farn e , And not under mere compensatory compulsion, as the psychologists absurdly claim. Yes, creators create because they ha ve to - justas a mother creates because she has to once con- ception has taken place. And so, with a crea ti ve pe r s on, once conception has taken place delivery is almost inevitable; it can not be evaded or postponed. The urge for fruition overcomes all obstacles. The genius creates because creation is the law of his Ii fe , . '

The Child

The development of the child should begin befare birth - it should begin at conception. The child should be wanted, and should be th e creation oí a great mutual spiritualized lave. The child should be an answer to the spiritual d em and, "Ha ve children and raise them to the glory of God , 11 Prospective parents should aspire and pray to give birth to the most perfect child pos si ble - a child en- dowed with spiritual susceptibilities. Parental prayers should nourish the soul of the embryo justas the mother1s blood nourishes its body. In this way marvelous children will be brought into existence, and a New Rae e will be Io r m e d ,

Education

Education is pa r t oí the expression oí the instinct oí th e race to perpetuate itself. Nature as sures th e biological continuance oí the r a ce , . But man must consciously operate to assure the per- petuation oí the knowledges, skills and mores necessary for its successíul existence. This inheritance is perpetuated only by that training which we call education. Edu cat.i on , in its fullest degree, is the hope oí the world.

Life

We cannot help recei ving life - we ha ve no choice. But we do have a choice as to what we shall make of our li ve s. It was successfully to fulfill th i s choice that we were placed upon this planet. The mea.ning of life - of all life - is development. This is within our power. It is th e only thing within our finite power. Development is not a ta sk , It is a pri vilege. De ve lopm errt, with Divine aí d, is nota burden. It is a joyous expression of the Self.

Be a Cause of Well-Being

"Be a cause of well-being to the human wor Idj !' sa ys Abdu'l-Bah.!. But to do this we must first cover the laws of well-being and apply them in our own Ii ve s ,

Religion

Man is not made for religion, so much as religion is made for man - for his development, his guidance a nd his joy, Let us look upon r e.lí.g í.on, then, as a gladsome pri ví Ieg e, a sanctified bí r thr ght, í

Let us become attracted to the Spirit, as we are attracted to beauty and to love - with an attraction so strong as to need little or no volition on our pa r t,

The Practice of the Presence of God

All the Prophets have corn e not only to teach man the knowledge of God; but to lead him into the practice of the presence of God , This is the panacea for all the troubles and ills of the individual, but also for all th e troubles and i Il s of society o

But alas! How few accept and use this divine r erne dyl From the love of God and His abiding presence all oth e r values fl.ow , Security in the midst of trials and tests; wise judgment; intuition and guidance; happines s; health; and even material success - do you want these things? Then seek cea. For the perfect functioning oí society: jus tí c e , balance, ha r mony, altruism, pe ac e , stability, material prosperity and happirie s s , Do we want this kind of a society? Then let us seek first the Kingdom of God, and all the se things shall be add ed,

The Stages oí the Spirit

SEVERANCE is not a s ce.ti ci sm , but a sort oí spiritual alooíness and unworldliness. RADIANT ACQUIESCENCE is the consent willingly and joyously to live under the guidance of the Spirit. EVANESCENCE is the complete emptiness of self; an emptiness waiting to be filled from the Ocean of Divine Love and Bounty. SANCTITY is the complete union of man with the Spirit.

The Cosmic Joy

Let us realize the Cosmos as a vital spiritual r eal.íty, and that matter is only Spirit in dí aguí se , And let us realize ourselves as an intimate and immortal part of this concrete manifestation of Spirit - our universal environrnent and home - the Cosmos. Let us realize thi s not by any intellectual process but by immediacy; by a super-rational con- s ci ou s , to ou.r inmost being, oí our vital and destined integration in this rich Cosmic Lífe , Let us feel that joie de vi vr e , that joy of existence which all nature expr e s s e s ,

The Ki.ng of Kings

The Ideal King is to Himself sufficient. His joy does not increase From a.doration oí His worshippers, Nor through their void decrease.

Stop, Forget - Ye a, Cease to Think

Why do birds sing? Why do squirrels gleefully leap about? Why do insects make their choral rnusic? It is because all Natu r e radiates the joy of existence. It is our intellect - with its anxieties and frustrations - that veils us from this Cosmic Li fe , We must again become as little children - recapture the pristine art of feeling, in complete response to our environment. Quiet! Let the sunshine sink O'er thy forehead, o1er thy rn ind , Stop, forget - yea , cease to think. Know wisdom is of higher kirid,

Happine s s

Happiness is an acquired a r t , It is a letting-go of life, an art relaxation. It is radiant acquiescence. Happm e s s is contagious - if we are happy , We can pass that happiness on to oth e r s , Therefor let our greetings be: Are you happy? Be happy!

Cosmic Love

How can we !ove everyone - even those who are disagreeable? With human Io ve this is impossible. For human love is a mutual exchange of values; arid when these values cea s e , love tends to cease.

Not so with the love divine. What is this love divine? It is something Cosmic. It is a partial expression of that vast creative love of God which constantly sustains and vitalizes all existence. When we become ablaze with this love we radiate it out to everyone - without effort and regardless of the worthiness or attractivenes-s of the obje ct of our Iove , This cosmic Iove , once e atabl.í shed, requires no effort or volition. Let us constantly charge our soul s from the coarní c battery of Divine Love , Then we can give love out spontaneously to everyone and everything. Let us include in thí s universal love the anírnafa, the trees, the pl.ant s , the cl.oud s , and the infinite ocean of the aky, He who is full of this Love is also full oí joy. He who doe s not know thi s Love doe s not know j oy º For God is Love, And if we do not know Love, we do not know God. And if we do not know God, we know not joy.

Service

Service is the law of the Uníve r s e , Service done with love unites us to the Heart of 'the Cosmos. Service done with love brings u s into oneness not only with the Divine, but also with all other humana, Service is the creative and unifying power of exí atence, the motive of ali woxk, the means of coamí c happiness.

We can carry on he re, if we so choo se , without obeyance ' to this law of s er ví ce, But if we land in -the Other World without such training our passports are invalid. For all celestial activity takes on the form of joyous se r ví ce,

The Eternal Now

How can we mortals escape the tyranny of time? 'I'írne , as Lord Krishna showed, is a colossal power that devours eve rythíng, Time lashes us on, without rebate, to labor by the cl.ock, How can we escape subjection to this Cosmic Tyrant? The same Power that rules as Time is also 'I'írnefe s s, And the Power that subjects us to the limited world of place is Placeless. Let us by prayer and rnedíratton, rise above the limiting world of time and pl.ace, till we attain the Ever- lasting Now and the Supreme World of the Placefe ss ,

The Phenomenal World

The phenomenal world is under the law of chang e , It is benign for the universal, but unpredictable for the individual o Spiritually undeveloped man lives under the law of contingency. He is the creature of circumstance and he knows it to his dismay - flotsam and jetsam on the stream of life.

But this is not so with the spiritually developed man who knows how to function on the Plane of Cauaatí on, Such a one navigates life with steady tí Ile r , sure goal s, and full power to reach those goal s ,

The Science of Power

Spirit is cauaal , Spirit should have precedence over the world of matter. Spí r lt is the vital essence of exí st ence , Spirit is the power that operates the Cosmos. Therefor it is more important to study Spirit as Power than to study the mere parts of the Machine. He who k.nows Spirit as Power knows be at how to control and operate his earthly exi.stence.

The Mind

What is the mind? It is a magic instrument, endowed with a discovering and manipulating power. But the mind is not the Self. It is only an instrument of the Self, The mind may be wea r y, the mind may become exhausted, But the Self is not thereby exhausted. When we realize the mind as an agent of the Self we can better control its actions. And when we dedícate our mind as well as our hearts to God, it will show forth wondrous powe r s ,

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Postulates of the Spirit

¡vptter is spirit in Disgiues

MJ.tter is subject to spirit in all things

Spirit can rroni¡:ulate rratter

Spirit operates under the law of lave)

service and self socrifice.