Emily Henrietta Hickey

A Sculptor, and Other Poems Emily Henrietta Hickey

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881. Excerpt: ... TO JENNY. (From the French of Victor Hugo.) Yesterday, darling of mine, a twelvemonth old! Happy you babble as, under the manifold Delicate leafage that lies on the dear Spring's breast, The year's new birdlets, opening their strange, wide eyes, Cheep and twitter from out the warmth of the nest, For the joy of the young plumes' growth and of life's surprise. O rose-lipt Jenny of mine, in those big books Whose pictures are worth your crowings and happy looks, The books I must suffer your fingers to crumple or tear; There is many a beautiful poem, but none so rare As you, my poem, when, catching sight of me, Your whole little body thrills and leaps with glee. The greatest men for writing have written ne'er A better thing than the thought a-dawn in your eye, And the musing strange and vague of one who scans The earth and man with an angel's ignorance. Ay, Jenny, God's not far off when you are nigh. FROM VICTOR HUGO'S "MAZEPPA." Part II. Thus, when a mortal on whom his God is outpour'd indeed, Is bound on thy fateful croupe, O genius, fiery steed, He struggles in vain; with a bound, untoucht of his hand or heel, From the real thou bearest him forth, whose gates burst and break as they feel Thy feet, feet of steel. Thou clearest the deserts with him, and the hoary tops of the proud Old hills of strength, crossest seas, and beyond the depths of cloud Where darkness heavily lies; and, awak'd by thy footsteps' sound, A thousand spirits impure in their legion close press round Thy traveller bound. In one flight on thy wings of flame he reaches and sees the whole Wide fields of the possible there stretcht out, and all realms of the soul; He drinks from the river eternal: in storm-night or starnight now His locks with the locks of comets commingled, all flaming glow...