Would I might wake in you the whirl-wind soul

‘Hunger and fire,Hunger and fire,Sky-born Beauty—Spice of desire,’Under the spice-treeWatch and wait,Burning maidensAnd lads that mate.The spice-tree spreadsAnd its boughs come downShadowing village and farm and town.And none can seeBut the pure of heartThe great green leavesAnd the boughs descending,And hear the song that is never ending.The deep roots whisper,The branches say:—‘Love to-morrow,And love to-day,And…

The workman lays wearily granite on granite,And bleeds for his castle, ‘mid sunshine and rain.Love is not velvet, not all of it velvet,Not all of it banners, not gold-leaf alone.‘Tis stern as the ages and old as Religion.With Patience its watchword and Law for its throne.

With golden hope my spirit still adorning.Our God who made you all so fair and sweetIs three times gentle, and before his feetRejoicing I shall say:—’The girl you gaveWas my first Heaven, an angel bent to save.Oh, God, her maker, if my ingrate breathIs worth this rescue from the Second Death,Perhaps her dear proud eyes…

‘The sun says his prayers,’ said the fairy,‘For strength to climb up through the sky.He leans on invisible angels,And Faith is his prop and his rod.The sky is his crystal cathedral.And dawn is his altar to God.’

Legree’s big house was white and green.His cotton-fields were the best to be seen.He had strong horses and opulent cattle,And bloodhounds bold, with chains that would rattle.His garret was full of curious things:Books of magic, bags of gold,And rabbits’ feet on long twine strings.But he went down to the Devil.Legree he sported a brass-buttoned coat,A…

There lies new San Francisco,Sea-maid in purple dressed,Wearing a dancer’s girdleAll to inflame desire:Scorning her days of sackcloth,Scorning her cleansing fire.See, like a burning citySets now the red sun’s dome.See, mystic firebrands sparkleThere on each store and home.See how the golden gatewayBurns with the day to be —Torch-bearing fiends of portentLoom o’er the earth and…