 | [Poems by Howells in] Poems of two friends |  |
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ALL FOUR.
AN AFTERNOON PICTURE.
A little child before the shady door,
A kitten lying on the cottage floor—
Beneath a locust tree, from whose white bloom
A passing breeze shook out a rich perfume,
An old man sitting in his easy chair—
A hale old man, with silver-flowing hair—
The house-dog stretched beneath his master's feet,
On bed of cool, green grasses, dark and sweet:
And dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And hale old man, were wrapped in sleep—all four!
A kitten lying on the cottage floor—
Beneath a locust tree, from whose white bloom
A passing breeze shook out a rich perfume,
An old man sitting in his easy chair—
A hale old man, with silver-flowing hair—
The house-dog stretched beneath his master's feet,
On bed of cool, green grasses, dark and sweet:
And dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And hale old man, were wrapped in sleep—all four!
A partridge, piping in the dead'ning near,
Called to “Bob White,” in whistle soft and clear;
From marshy pasture rose a lark in mirth,
Spilled his brief song, and silent sunk to earth;
In a new-furrowed field, a noisy crew
Of blackbirds picked the worms the plow up-threw;
The panting farmer, as he held the plow,
With his straw-hat brim fanned his streaming brow:
While dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And hale old man, slept sound and cool—all four!
Called to “Bob White,” in whistle soft and clear;
From marshy pasture rose a lark in mirth,
Spilled his brief song, and silent sunk to earth;
In a new-furrowed field, a noisy crew
Of blackbirds picked the worms the plow up-threw;
The panting farmer, as he held the plow,
With his straw-hat brim fanned his streaming brow:
While dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And hale old man, slept sound and cool—all four!
Loud crows uprising from the neighboring field,
With cawings hoarse, in lazy circles wheeled,
Then downward sank again in less'ning rings,
Flashing the sunlight from their sable wings;
Higher up a hawk, too, circled—cunning spy,
Watching the barn-yard with a hungry eye,
Where Chanticleer with wings distended stood,
And clucking Partlet called her screaming brood:
While dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And gray old man, slept sound and sweet—all four!
With cawings hoarse, in lazy circles wheeled,
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Flashing the sunlight from their sable wings;
Higher up a hawk, too, circled—cunning spy,
Watching the barn-yard with a hungry eye,
Where Chanticleer with wings distended stood,
And clucking Partlet called her screaming brood:
While dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And gray old man, slept sound and sweet—all four!
In dreams through memory land the old man strayed,
Re-trod his traveled path—and child-like played
Along each stream, upon each flowery plain—
Lived all his happy boy-life o'er again;
In dreams the child, through hope's bright fairy-land,
Roamed glad and far with loving angel band,
Saw sights that childhood only dreaming, sees,
Marvelous flowers, and birds, and streams, and trees:
But dog and cat a dreamless slumber slept,
While round to four, the clock's slow finger crept!
Re-trod his traveled path—and child-like played
Along each stream, upon each flowery plain—
Lived all his happy boy-life o'er again;
In dreams the child, through hope's bright fairy-land,
Roamed glad and far with loving angel band,
Saw sights that childhood only dreaming, sees,
Marvelous flowers, and birds, and streams, and trees:
But dog and cat a dreamless slumber slept,
While round to four, the clock's slow finger crept!
Sudden a white cloud vailed the sun's bright face—
Another joined it in its resting-place—
The sky that, erewhile, bent an arch of blue,
Grew black with clouds—with tempest threatening grew;
Quick-flashing lightnings rent the storm in twain,
And in its bosom sheathed themselves again;
From its torn breast the sky its life-tide spills,
And its hoarse moans re-echo through the hills,
And dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And hale old man, are roused from sleep—all four.
Another joined it in its resting-place—
The sky that, erewhile, bent an arch of blue,
Grew black with clouds—with tempest threatening grew;
Quick-flashing lightnings rent the storm in twain,
And in its bosom sheathed themselves again;
From its torn breast the sky its life-tide spills,
And its hoarse moans re-echo through the hills,
And dog, and child, and cat on cottage floor,
And hale old man, are roused from sleep—all four.
| [Poems by Howells in] Poems of two friends | |