FOFANOW.

WITH ROSES

Darling, accept my bunch of perfumed roses;—­
  Because in royal beauty and in freshness sweet
They dared to rival you,—­I cut them down and bound
  The criminals and brought them to your feet.

From the Georgian of Prince Tschawtschawadze.

THE STARS

With joy in your heart and a smile on your lips
  You admired the soft Southern night,
And do you know when your beautiful eyes
  Were remarked, all the stars at the sight
Were put out and turned faint in the skies?

This morning they brought their complaint to the sun—­
  “In ether a star quite unknown! 
If to-night this same comet shall shine
  Whose radiance extinguished our own,
We must all, our old splendor resign!”

And sadly the sun made them answer,—­“Alas! 
  Before her, I am pale at high noon;—­
See, to-day all is rainy and cold,
  ’Tis the trace of defeat seen so soon,
’Tis the trace of eclipse you behold!”

* * * * *

O happy the being whose life from afar
  Shall be lighted by such a lode star!

From the Caucasian of Prince Oberlaine.

WHISPERS AND THE TIMID BREATHING

Whispers and the timid breathing,
  Nightingale’s long trill,
Silver moonlight and the rocking
  Of the dreaming rill;
Nightly light and nightly shadow,
  Shadow’s endless lace—­
Neath the moon’s enchanted changes
  The Beloved’s face. 
Blinking stars as flash of amber,
  Snowy clouds on-rush,
Tears and happiness and kisses—­
  And the dawn’s red blush!

FROM “FETE CHENCHINE.”

Fete Chenchine, so-called, has no rival in impressionistic effects.  The above without a verb is a good instance of his peculiar caprice.

THE TALES OF THE STARS

The stars of beauty, the stars of purity,
  Have whispered their wonderful tales to the flowers! 
The satiny petals have smiled as they heard,
  And trembled the emerald leaves ’mid their bowers. 
But infatuate flowers deep drunken of dew
  Repeated these tales to the light swaying breeze—­
Rebellious winds listening swift caught them up
 And sang them o’er earth, o’er the mountains and seas! 
Now, as the earth under Springtime’s caresses: 
  With her verdant tissue is covered once more,
All my madly passionate soul overflows
  With dreams of the stars and their radiant lore! 
And throughout these days of my sorrow and toil,
  Through these nights of my loneliness, darkness and rain—­
Stars wondrous and radiant, I give back to you,
  Your ethereal fancies again!

FOFANOW.

ONE DEAREST PAIR OF EYES I LOVE