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Robert Louis Stevenson: Collected Poems

Edited, with an introduction and notes, by Janet Adam Smith
Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850-1894)

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POEMS 1869–1879
 I. 
I Dedication
 II. 
II
 III. 
III After Reading ‘Antony and Cleopatra’
 IV. 
IV Spring-Song
 V. 
V
 VI. 
VI Duddingston
 VII. 
VII
 VIII. 
VIII
 IX. 
IX
 X. 
X
 XI. 
XI Death
 XII. 
XII
 XIII. 
XIII Epistle to Charles Baxter
 XIV. 
XIV Consolation
 XV. 
XV To Sydney
 XVI. 
XVI
 XVII. 
XVII
 XVIII. 
XVIII
 XIX. 
XIX
 XX. 
XX
 XXI. 
XXI
 XXII. 
XXII
collapse sectionXXIII. 
XXIII The Light-Keeper
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 XXIV. 
XXIV
 XXV. 
XXV The Cruel Mistress
 XXVI. 
XXVI Storm
 XXVII. 
XXVII Stormy Nights
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII Song at Dawn
 XXIX. 
XXIX Nous n'irons plus aux bois
 XXX. 
XXX
 XXXI. 
XXXI
 XXXII. 
XXXII
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV
 XXXV. 
XXXV
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII The Daughter of Herodias
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX
 XL. 
XL Praise and Prayer
 XLI. 
XLI John Cavalier
 XLII. 
XLII The Iron Steed
 XLIII. 
XLIII
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PIECES IN LALLAN
 I. 
I To The Commissioners of Northern Lights, with a Paper
 II. 
II To Mesdames Zassetsky and Garschine
 III. 
III To Charles Baxter
 IV. 
IV To the Same [Charles Baxter]
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UNDERWOODS
collapse sectionI. 
BOOK I: IN ENGLISH
 I. 
I Envoy
 II. 
II A Song of the Road
 III. 
III The Canoe Speaks
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V The House Beautiful
 VI. 
VI A Visit from the Sea
 VII. 
VII To a Gardener
 VIII. 
VIII To Minnie
 IX. 
IX To K. de M.
 X. 
X To N. V. de G. S.
 XI. 
XI To Will H. Low
 XII. 
XII To Mrs Will H. Low
 XIII. 
XIII To H. F. Brown
 XIV. 
XIV To Andrew Lang
 XV. 
XV Et Tu in Arcadia Vixisti
 XVI. 
XVI To W. E. Henley
 XVII. 
XVII Henry James
 XVIII. 
XVIII The Mirror Speaks
 XIX. 
XIX Katharine
 XX. 
XX To F. J. S.
 XXI. 
XXI Requiem
 XXII. 
XXII The Celestial Surgeon
 XXIII. 
XXIII Our Lady of the Snows
 XXIV. 
XXIV
 XXV. 
XXV
 XXVI. 
XXVI The Sick Child
 XXVII. 
XXVII In Memoriam F. A. S.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII To My Father
 XXIX. 
XXIX In the States
 XXX. 
XXX A Portrait
 XXXI. 
XXXI
 XXXII. 
XXXII A Camp
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII The Country of the Camisards
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV Skerryvore
 XXXV. 
XXXV Skerryvore: The Parallel
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII
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BOOK II: IN SCOTS
 I. 
I The Maker to Posterity
 II. 
II Ille Terrarum
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV A Mile an' a Bittock
 V. 
V A Lowden Sabbath Morn
 VI. 
VI The Spaewife
 VII. 
VII The Blast—1875
 VIII. 
VIII The Counterblast—1886
 IX. 
IX The Counterblast Ironical
 X. 
X Their Laureate to an Academy Class Dinner Club
 XI. 
XI Embro Hie Kirk
 XII. 
XII The Scotsman's Return from Abroad
 XIII. 
XIII
 XIV. 
XIV My Conscience!
 XV. 
XV To Doctor John Brown
 XVI. 
XVI
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BALLADS
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The Song of Rahéro
 I. 
I. THE SLAYING OF TÁMATÉA
 II. 
II. THE VENGING OF TÁMATÉA
 III. 
III. RAHÉRO
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The Feast of Famine
 I. 
I. THE PRIEST'S VIGIL
 II. 
II. THE LOVERS
 III. 
III. THE FEAST
 IV. 
IV. THE RAID
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Ticonderoga
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I. THE SAYING OF THE NAME
 II. 
II. THE SEEKING OF THE NAME
 III. 
III. THE PLACE OF THE NAME
  
Heather Ale
  
Christmas at Sea
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SONGS OF TRAVEL
 I. 
I The Vagabond
 II. 
II Youth and Love—I
 III. 
III Youth and Love—II
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V
 VI. 
VI
 VII. 
VII Madrigal
 VIII. 
VIII
 IX. 
IX
 X. 
X
 XI. 
XI
 XII. 
XII We Have Loved of Yore
 XIII. 
XIII Ditty
 XIV. 
XIV Mater Triumphans
 XV. 
XV
 XVI. 
XVI
 XVII. 
XVII To the Tune of Wandering Willie
 XVIII. 
XVIII Winter
 XIX. 
XIX
 XX. 
XX To Dr Hake
 XXI. 
XXI To Sidney Colvin
 XXII. 
XXII
 XXIII. 
XXIII
 XXIV. 
XXIV
 XXV. 
XXV
 XXVI. 
XXVI If This Were Faith
 XXVII. 
XXVII My Wife
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII To the Muse
 XXIX. 
XXIX To an Island Princess
 XXX. 
XXX To Kalakaua
 XXXI. 
XXXI To Princess Kaiulani
 XXXII. 
XXXII To Mother Maryanne
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII In Memoriam E. H.
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV To My Wife
 XXXV. 
XXXV To My Old Familiars
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII To S. C.
collapse sectionXXXVIII. 
XXXVIII The House of Tembinoka
  
ENVOI
  
THE SONG
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX The Woodman
 XL. 
XL Tropic Rain
 XLI. 
XLI An End of Travel
 XLII. 
XLII
 XLIII. 
XLIII The Last Sight
 XLIV. 
XLIV
 XLV. 
XLV To S. R. Crockett
 XLVI. 
XLVI Evensong
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POEMS 1880–1894
 I. 
I Alcaics to H. F. Brown
 II. 
II Tales of Arabia
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V Horace, Book II, Ode III
 VI. 
VI Lines for H. F. Brown
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VII Translations from Martial
  
EPITAPHIUM EROTII
  
V. 34
  
DE EROTIO PUELLA
  
IN MAXIMUM
  
DE CŒNATIONE MICÆ
  
AD OLUM
  
AD QUINTILIANUM
  
AD PISCATOREM
  
DE HORTIS JULII MARTIALIS
  
AD MARTIALEM
  
AN IMITATION, PINDARIS CAUSA
  
AD NEPOTEM
  
DE M. ANTONIO
  
IN LUPUM
  
IN CHARIDEMUM
  
DE LIGURRA
 VIII. 
VIII
 IX. 
IX To Mrs MacMorland
 X. 
X
 XI. 
XI
 XII. 
XII
 XIII. 
XIII
 XIV. 
XIV
 XV. 
XV
 XVI. 
XVI
 XVII. 
XVII
 XVIII. 
XVIII To Mrs E. F. Strickland
 XIX. 
XIX For Richmond's Garden Wall
 XX. 
XX To Frederick Locker
 XXI. 
XXI To Master Andrew Lang
 XXII. 
XXII
 XXIII. 
XXIII The Family
 XXIV. 
XXIV
 XXV. 
XXV To the Stormy Petrel
 XXVI. 
XXVI
 XXVII. 
XXVII
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DEDICATIONS AND POEMS FROM BOOKS
 I. 
I To the Hesitating Purchaser
 II. 
II Pirate Ditty
 III. 
III The Song of the Sword of Alan
 IV. 
IV To Virgil and Dora Williams
 V. 
V To Nelly Sanchez
 VI. 
VI To H. C. Bunner
 VII. 
VII To Katharine de Mattos
 VIII. 
VIII To My Wife
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LIGHT VERSE
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III To Charles Baxter
 IV. 
IV Ne Sit Ancillae Tibi Amor Pudori
 V. 
V Poem for a Class Re-union
 VI. 
VI Browning
 VII. 
VII On an Inland Voyage
 VIII. 
VIII Dedication
 IX. 
IX On Some Ghostly Companions at A Spa
 X. 
X Brasheanna
 XI. 
XI To A. G. Dew-Smith
 XII. 
XII
 XIII. 
XIII
 XIV. 
XIV
 XV. 
XV
 XVI. 
XVI To Time
 XVII. 
XVII Fragment
 XVIII. 
XVIII Burlesque Sonnet To Æneas William Mackintosh
 XIX. 
XIX Rhymes to Henley
 XX. 
XX Epitaphs
 XXI. 
XXI The Fine Pacific Islands
collapse sectionXXII. 
XXII To Henry James
  
[section]
  
Eructavit cor meum
 XXIII. 
XXIII Athole Brose
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POEMS FOR CHILDREN
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A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES
  
TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM
 I. 
I Bed in Summer
 II. 
II A Thought
 III. 
III At the Seaside
 IV. 
IV Young Night Thought
 V. 
V Whole Duty of Children
 VI. 
VI Rain
 VII. 
VII Pirate Story
 VIII. 
VIII Foreign Lands
 IX. 
IX Windy Nights
 X. 
X Travel
 XI. 
XI Singing
 XII. 
XII Looking Forward
 XIII. 
XIII A Good Play
 XIV. 
XIV Where Go the Boats?
 XV. 
XV Auntie's Skirts
 XVI. 
XVI The Land of Counterpane
 XVII. 
XVII The Land of Nod
 XVIII. 
XVIII My Shadow
 XIX. 
XIX System
 XX. 
XX A Good Boy
 XXI. 
XXI Escape at Bedtime
 XXII. 
XXII Marching Song
 XXIII. 
XXIII The Cow
 XXIV. 
XXIV Happy Thought
 XXV. 
XXV The Wind
 XXVI. 
XXVI Keepsake Mill
 XXVII. 
XXVII Good and Bad Children
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII Foreign Children
 XXIX. 
XXIX The Sun's Travels
 XXX. 
XXX The Lamplighter
 XXXI. 
XXXI My Bed is a Boat
 XXXII. 
XXXII The Moon
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII The Swing
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV Time to Rise
 XXXV. 
XXXV Looking-Glass River
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI Fairy-Bread
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII From a Railway Carriage
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII Winter Time
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX The Hayloft
 XL. 
XL Farewell to the Farm
 XLI. 
XLI North-West Passage
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THE CHILD ALONE
 I. 
I The Unseen Playmate
 II. 
II My Ship and I
 III. 
III My Kingdom
 IV. 
IV Picture Books in Winter
 V. 
V My Treasures
 VI. 
VI Block City
 VII. 
VII The Land of Story-Books
 VIII. 
VIII Armies in the Fire
 IX. 
IX The Little Land
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GARDEN DAYS
 I. 
I Night and Day
 II. 
II Nest Eggs
 III. 
III The Flowers
 IV. 
IV Summer Sun
 V. 
V The Dumb Soldier
 VI. 
VI Autumn Fires
 VII. 
VII The Gardener
 VIII. 
VIII Historical Associations
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ENVOYS
 I. 
I To Willie and Henrietta
 II. 
II To My Mother
 III. 
III To Auntie
 IV. 
IV To Minnie
 V. 
V To My Name-Child
 VI. 
VI To Any Reader
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NOT I AND OTHER POEMS
 I. 
I Not I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
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MORAL EMBLEMS I
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III A Peak in Darien
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V
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MORAL EMBLEMS II
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
 V. 
V
  
A MARTIAL ELEGY FOR SOME LEAD SOLDIERS
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THE GRAVER AND THE PEN:
  
Proem
  
The Precarious Mill
  
The Disputatious Pines
  
The Tramps
  
The Foolhardy Geographer
  
The Angler & the Clown
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MORAL TALES
 I. 
I Robin and Ben: or, the Pirate and the Apothecary
 II. 
II The Builder's Doom

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Lightly he leaped on the boat beside the woman; and she
Lightly addressed him, and yielded the paddle and place to sit;
For now the torch was extinguished the night was black as the pit.
Rahéro set him to row, never a word he spoke,
And the boat sang in the water urged by his vigorous stroke.
—‘What ails you?’ the woman asked, ‘and why did you drop the brand?
We have only to kindle another as soon as we come to land.’
Never a word Rahéro replied, but urged the canoe.
And a chill fell on the woman.—‘Atta! speak! is it you?
Speak! Why are you silent? Why do you bend aside?
Wherefore steer to the seaward?’ thus she panted and cried.
Never a word from the oarsman, toiling there in the dark;
But right for a gate of the reef he silently headed the bark,
And wielding the single paddle with passionate sweep on sweep,
Drove her, the little fitted, forth on the open deep.
And fear, there where she sat, froze the woman to stone:
Not fear of the crazy boat and the weltering deep alone;
But a keener fear of the night, the dark, and the ghostly hour,
And the thing that drove the canoe with more than a mortal's power
208

And more than a mortal's boldness. For much she knew of the dead
That haunt and fish upon reefs, toiling, like men, for bread,
And traffic with human fishers, or slay them and take their ware,
Till the hour when the star of the dead goes down, and the morning air
Blows, and the cocks are singing on shore. And surely she knew
The speechless thing at her side belonged to the grave.
It blew
All night from the south; all night, Rahéro contended and kept
The prow to the cresting sea; and, silent as though she slept,
The woman huddled and quaked. And now was the peep of day.
High and long on their left the mountainous island lay;
And over the peaks of Taiárapu arrows of sunlight struck.
On shore the birds were beginning to sing: the ghostly ruck
Of the buried had long ago returned to the covered grave;
And here on the sea, the woman, waxing suddenly brave,
Turned her swiftly about and looked in the face of the man.
And sure he was none that she knew, none of her country or clan:
A stranger, mother-naked, and marred with the marks of fire,
But comely and great of stature, a man to obey and admire.
209

And Rahéro regarded her also, fixed, with a frowning face,
Judging the woman's fitness to mother a warlike race.
Broad of shoulder, ample of girdle, long in the thigh,
Deep of bosom she was, and bravely supported his eye.
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