 | The White Pilgrim and Other Poems |  |
126
A SPRIG OF HEATHER.
Dear Kate,—In Mr. Murray's Guide,
With neat red ribbon tied together,
Between two leaves I've put aside
Your tiny sprig of Scottish Heather.
With neat red ribbon tied together,
Between two leaves I've put aside
Your tiny sprig of Scottish Heather.
It came to me at Berne, you know;
I had it in a quiet corner
Of the old terrace, as the glow
Of sunset lit the Wetterhörner.
I had it in a quiet corner
Of the old terrace, as the glow
Of sunset lit the Wetterhörner.
While lower Earth outwearied slept,
From fiery Day yet parched and torrid,
O'er the snow-pillowed giants crept
A lazy flush from foot to forehead;
From fiery Day yet parched and torrid,
O'er the snow-pillowed giants crept
A lazy flush from foot to forehead;
Till the grim peaks, which, cold and lone,
Had faced the sun as if to flout it,
Now like a row of beacons shone,
Rose-red against the grays about it.
Had faced the sun as if to flout it,
Now like a row of beacons shone,
Rose-red against the grays about it.
127
They kindled up from horn to horn,
And a quaint notion Fancy lent me;
Methought they crimsoned as in scorn
Of the poor upstart you had sent me.
And a quaint notion Fancy lent me;
Methought they crimsoned as in scorn
Of the poor upstart you had sent me.
“The land our mighty presence fills
Dame Nature's grandest mood discloses;
What make you, from your baby hills,
'Mid Edelweiss and Alpine Roses?
Dame Nature's grandest mood discloses;
What make you, from your baby hills,
'Mid Edelweiss and Alpine Roses?
“When men have travelled, you forget,
The hills they've climbed, the lakes they've rowed on,
Leave little room for them to set
Much store by Lomond or by Snowdon!
The hills they've climbed, the lakes they've rowed on,
Leave little room for them to set
Much store by Lomond or by Snowdon!
“What next?”—it was the biggest spoke;
A mighty avalanche shook his quarters;
He cracked his glaciers at the joke,
And shouted in a roar of waters.
A mighty avalanche shook his quarters;
He cracked his glaciers at the joke,
And shouted in a roar of waters.
I hung my head, and, half in shame,
I looked upon your tiny token;
When out of it an answer came,
As clearly as the first had spoken.
I looked upon your tiny token;
When out of it an answer came,
As clearly as the first had spoken.
The little flow'ret seemed to wear
Upon its leaf a look defiant,
And to throw back with interest there
His scorn upon the scornful giant.
Upon its leaf a look defiant,
And to throw back with interest there
His scorn upon the scornful giant.
128
“You overgrown unsightly mass,
(Rude challenge breeds uncivil answer),
Learn, in your innermost crevass,
It isn't size that makes the man, sir!
(Rude challenge breeds uncivil answer),
Learn, in your innermost crevass,
It isn't size that makes the man, sir!
“I come from lands of fern and heath,
Which smell so sweet, and look so tender,
When the long kiss of Autumn's breath
Has fanned them to a blush of splendour,
Which smell so sweet, and look so tender,
When the long kiss of Autumn's breath
Has fanned them to a blush of splendour,
“That every puny half-starved flower
Which aches upon your iron bosom,
Would give that honour for an hour
Upon those laughing slopes to blossom,
Which aches upon your iron bosom,
Would give that honour for an hour
Upon those laughing slopes to blossom,
“Or nestle in their grasses rare,
Like jewels in a woman's tresses;
While you were born as bald, you were,
As any head that Truefitt dresses!
Like jewels in a woman's tresses;
While you were born as bald, you were,
As any head that Truefitt dresses!
“If salt is good, then how thrive you,
Aloft there in your frigid snow-zone,
Where the best wind that ever blew
Bears not a breath of Ocean's ozone?
Aloft there in your frigid snow-zone,
Where the best wind that ever blew
Bears not a breath of Ocean's ozone?
“I bring you from the farther North
A sauce your meal of ice to savour;
A single whiff of Clyde and Forth
Gives all your air a finer flavour!
A sauce your meal of ice to savour;
A single whiff of Clyde and Forth
Gives all your air a finer flavour!
129
“Be more polite another day:”—
The mountains held their tongues and whitened;
But for my life I couldn't say
If they were most amused or frightened.
The mountains held their tongues and whitened;
But for my life I couldn't say
If they were most amused or frightened.
On the bold messenger I smiled—
“True offspring of the British nation,
As for the sauce you bring, my child,
You've quite enough for all creation.
“True offspring of the British nation,
As for the sauce you bring, my child,
You've quite enough for all creation.
“'Tis rarely that the sage, I wis,
With any party on his oath sides,
But holds, as I do now, there is
A good deal to be said on both sides.
With any party on his oath sides,
But holds, as I do now, there is
A good deal to be said on both sides.
“Whiche'er the better cause has shown,
Old Scotland or the land of Tell-come,
You've one advantage all your own—
Kate sent you, and you're very welcome!”
Old Scotland or the land of Tell-come,
You've one advantage all your own—
Kate sent you, and you're very welcome!”
Berne, August, 1873.
| The White Pilgrim and Other Poems | |