 | Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
46
BY MOONLIGHT.
Out of the depths above shone forth
The beautiful, radiant orb of light;
Paling the stars near by, she rose,
Queen of the spheres and the limitless night.
The beautiful, radiant orb of light;
Paling the stars near by, she rose,
Queen of the spheres and the limitless night.
Four of us glided along in the boat,—
Rhoda and Etta, Harry and I,—
Cheerily watching the glory that streamed
Across the sea from the bending sky.
Rhoda and Etta, Harry and I,—
Cheerily watching the glory that streamed
Across the sea from the bending sky.
Etta spoke first, and her voice seemed far:
“The sparkling line, however we turn,
Comes straight to me!” But I claimed it, too,
I at the bow, and she at the stern.
“The sparkling line, however we turn,
Comes straight to me!” But I claimed it, too,
I at the bow, and she at the stern.
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We laughed, insisting; then Rhoda, between:—
“Absurd! for it comes to me, not you—
A beautiful, silvery ribbon of light,
Crinkling and shining across the blue.”
“Absurd! for it comes to me, not you—
A beautiful, silvery ribbon of light,
Crinkling and shining across the blue.”
Then Harry, the rower: “By all that 's bright
It flashes its course direct to me!”
Thus merry, intent and apart we sat,
Claiming the splendor that crossed the sea
It flashes its course direct to me!”
Thus merry, intent and apart we sat,
Claiming the splendor that crossed the sea
Till Rhoda, the fairy, proposed a plan
(A friskier sailor was never afloat);
And then, with many a laugh and start,
We all changed seats in the rocking boat.
(A friskier sailor was never afloat);
And then, with many a laugh and start,
We all changed seats in the rocking boat.
O human vision, how blind it is!
'T was plain, at last, that our partial sight
Had made the glory that shone for all
To each seem a narrow pathway bright.
'T was plain, at last, that our partial sight
Had made the glory that shone for all
To each seem a narrow pathway bright.
Shining, arose on the breast of the sea,
A lesson in love, a thought of grace:
Learn thou to look for the Heavenly light
Not alone from thine own, but thy neighbor's place.
A lesson in love, a thought of grace:
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Not alone from thine own, but thy neighbor's place.
Four of us glided home in the boat,
Rhoda and Etta, Harry and I,
Thoughtfully watching the glory that streamed
Over the sea from the silent sky.
Rhoda and Etta, Harry and I,
Thoughtfully watching the glory that streamed
Over the sea from the silent sky.
| Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge | |