 | Poems by Julia C. R. Dorr |  |
175
UNANSWERED
Where mountain-peaks rose far and high
Into the blue, unclouded sky,
And waves of green, like billowy seas,
Tossed proudly in the freshening breeze,
Into the blue, unclouded sky,
And waves of green, like billowy seas,
Tossed proudly in the freshening breeze,
I rode one morning, late in June.
The glad winds sang a pleasant tune;
The air, like draughts of rarest wine,
Made every breath a joy divine.
The glad winds sang a pleasant tune;
The air, like draughts of rarest wine,
Made every breath a joy divine.
With roses all the way was bright;
Yet there upon that upland height
The darlings of the early spring—
Blue violets—were blossoming.
Yet there upon that upland height
The darlings of the early spring—
Blue violets—were blossoming.
And all the meadows, wide unrolled,
Were green and silver, green and gold,
Where buttercups and daisies spun
Their shining tissues in the sun.
Were green and silver, green and gold,
Where buttercups and daisies spun
Their shining tissues in the sun.
Over its shallow, pebbly bed,
A sparkling river gayly sped,
Nor cared that deeper waters bore
A grander freight from shore to shore.
A sparkling river gayly sped,
Nor cared that deeper waters bore
A grander freight from shore to shore.
It sung, it danced, it laughed, it played,
In sunshine now, and now in shade;
While every gnarled tree joyed to make
A greener garland for its sake.
In sunshine now, and now in shade;
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A greener garland for its sake.
Deep peace was in the summer air,
A peace all nature seemed to share;
Yet even there I could not flee
The shadow of life's mystery!
A peace all nature seemed to share;
Yet even there I could not flee
The shadow of life's mystery!
A farm-house stood beside the way,
Low-roofed and rambling, quaint and gray;
And where the friendly door swung wide
Red roses climbed on either side.
Low-roofed and rambling, quaint and gray;
And where the friendly door swung wide
Red roses climbed on either side.
And thither, down the winding road
Near which the sparkling river flowed,
In groups, in pairs, the neighbors pressed,
Each in his Sunday raiment dressed.
Near which the sparkling river flowed,
In groups, in pairs, the neighbors pressed,
Each in his Sunday raiment dressed.
A sober calm was on each face;
Sweet stillness brooded o'er the place;
Yet something of a festal air
The youths and maidens seemed to wear.
Sweet stillness brooded o'er the place;
Yet something of a festal air
The youths and maidens seemed to wear.
But, as I passed, an idle breeze
Swept through the quivering maple-trees;
Chased by the winds in merry rout,
A fair, light curtain floated out.
Swept through the quivering maple-trees;
Chased by the winds in merry rout,
A fair, light curtain floated out.
And this I saw: a quiet room
Adorned with flowers of richest bloom—
A lily here, a garland there—
Fragrance and silence everywhere.
Adorned with flowers of richest bloom—
A lily here, a garland there—
Fragrance and silence everywhere.
Then on I rode. But if a bride
Should there her happy blushes hide,
Or if beyond my vision lay
Some pale face shrouded from the day,
Should there her happy blushes hide,
Or if beyond my vision lay
Some pale face shrouded from the day,
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I could not tell. O joy and Pain,
Your voices join in one refrain!
So like ye are, we may not know
If this be gladness, this be woe!
Your voices join in one refrain!
So like ye are, we may not know
If this be gladness, this be woe!
| Poems by Julia C. R. Dorr | |