THE FLEET (1945)

  A long line of ships,
  War-scarred in glory smothered
  On navy’s glad day.

SPRING IS BUDDING

  Why is the sun ashining
  And all the faces glad? 
  Why are the buds abursting
  And not, a thing is sad? 
        I hear the sparrow twittering
        Her sweet old melody. 
        Darling the spring is budding
        In all her ecstasy. 
  Spring and the sun are smiling
  To bring the leaves and cress. 
  Love in the heart is waking
  To give us happiness. 
        I hear the lark awarbling
        Her sweet old melody. 
        And too my heart is singing
        In happy ecstasy.

BEAUTIFUL ROSE

  Beautiful rose
  Your crimson velvet tells me
  The loveliest message.

SUN ON THE RIVER

  O river, flowing on,
  In flashing sunlight roll,
  And join the ocean lawn
  Up to the island shoal.

  O great and mighty stream,
  With flaming breast and bow,
  Your ferries glide and gleam
  Through sparkling glare and glow.

  O sun, on rolling wave
  Shine far out to the sea,
  And rounded billows pave,
  Like quickened silver flee.

  O sheets of dazzling light,
  Move on close to the edge,
  Where ships are anchored right,
  And gold flames on the ledge.

  O rivers, drifting fire
  With steamers flaming wide,
  Play on your silent lyre
  Until the shadows hide.

OUT ON THE BAY

  Out on the bay
  Was spread a silver while sheet,
  Glazed and painted by the sun,
  Today.

  Down in my heart
  Was pain and sorrow’s dark sleet
  Eased and melted by the sun,
  In part.

RESTING

  There is no soothing so complete,
    As sitting in the sun,
  Or chasing butterflies through wheat,
    Although no cloth is spun.

A SHOWER’S MELODY

  A babbling brooklet wends its happy way
  Adown a rocky path across the plain. 
  And goes a-galloping along in rain. 
  In drought he stops and waits a lucky day,
  When clouds roll up and men and women pray,
  And withered is the corn and grasses and grain. 
  The dust clings thick on every sill and pane. 
  A shower soon refreshes loam and clay. 
  The little stream resumes its cheerful hymn. 
  It warbles on content to sing and flow,
  The music lilts and swells in happy glee;
  And too, the birds and bees join in with vim,
  Harmonious, alive, in twilight glow
  A mighty choir of gorgeous melody!

IF YOU HEAR

  If you hear the scoff of friends,
  Or see their anger grow,
  Just please remember this,
  Perhaps they do not know.