 | [Poems by Piatt in] Poems of two friends |  |
50
ANONYMOUS.
He walked forgotten o'er the earth,
But still his songs were singing there—
Sweet ghosts that came with heavenlier air,
His dreams, his loves, his woes, his mirth!
But still his songs were singing there—
Sweet ghosts that came with heavenlier air,
His dreams, his loves, his woes, his mirth!
None knew his grave but poet-eyes:
Flowers wrote their memory lovingly
About his mound: “He loved us; we
Loved him and love him: Here he lies.”
Flowers wrote their memory lovingly
About his mound: “He loved us; we
Loved him and love him: Here he lies.”
Few friends were his. Ah, few his need
Of friendship knew: they, coffined dreams!
But first they buried him, it seems:
His epitaph, “He sowed the seed.”
Of friendship knew: they, coffined dreams!
But first they buried him, it seems:
His epitaph, “He sowed the seed.”
And lo, the Harvest! Through the land
Beauty has bloomed among the wheat!
The reapers toil to music sweet;
The gleaners, weary, singing stand.
Beauty has bloomed among the wheat!
The reapers toil to music sweet;
The gleaners, weary, singing stand.
Sweet flowers looked up! The maidens kissed
Their lips his God-light human made;
The violets lifted in the shade—
Heaven's children lost—blue eyes a-mist!
Their lips his God-light human made;
The violets lifted in the shade—
Heaven's children lost—blue eyes a-mist!
51
He toiled not in the Harvest hours
(Yet took his harvest home indeed)
Whispers the grave, “He sowed the seed.”
Lo! Heaven filled all his wheat with flowers!
(Yet took his harvest home indeed)
Whispers the grave, “He sowed the seed.”
Lo! Heaven filled all his wheat with flowers!
And, here and there—unknown before—
Where fell the dreamer's random seed,
Strange century flowers arose, indeed,
Forever blooming, evermore.
Where fell the dreamer's random seed,
Strange century flowers arose, indeed,
Forever blooming, evermore.
| [Poems by Piatt in] Poems of two friends | |