€41 'ASTER, MAS, AND OTHER POEMS. MARY BISSELL ^YATERMAN. AUTHOR OF "HELLO! SANTA CLAUS," "LIFE FROM A WHEELED CHAIR." Ac. ?^: Copyright 1889, By Daniel Waterman PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY Daniel Waterman UTICA. Oneida Co., N. Y. PREFACE. This collection of verses is literally what its name implies — " Gathered Fragments " — of the work of one, all of whose work was wrought out of suffering, and yet whose pen, now laid aside, contributed with humour, tenderness and pathos to what Ruskin calls " the greatest of sciences, Humanity." Most of the poems have never been in print. Many, especially those of a serious character, were suggested by the individual experiences of her friends. All of them will have for those who knew her the charm of her own personality ; but, above all, they bear the impress of a character purified, strengthened and exalted by crucial discipline ; of a faith brave and unshaken, " Though He slay me." A. W. S. March 17, 1889. CONTENTS. Page "Gather up ihe Fragments," - - - - 7 Easter Flowers, ----- 9 Easter Song, ------ 13 Passion Flowers and Easter Lilies. - - 15 The King's Garden, - - - - - 16 " A Prisoner of the Lord," - - - 18 The Midnight Sea, - - - - 20 The Two Voices, - - - 22 The Little Branch, ----- 24 Star Flower Song, - - - - 27 Cradle Song, ------ 29 Lullaby Land, - . - - - 30 Wide-Awake Land, - - - - -33 Pictures From Wide-Awake Land, - - - 35 The Touching Tale of the Pampered Pug. - - 39 A Waste of Words, ----- 42 " And There Were Shepherds," - - - 43 Christmas Morning, . - . - 46 Why Santa Claus Sneezed on Xmas, - - - 47 Mater Jubilata! ----- 48 Mater Desolata, - - - - 50 Mater Consolata, - - - - 51 Jesus and the Children, - - - -52 ®^\\lQ^ Up il^G pra|mGnis." SuB-iresied by the following extract from a sermon preached in Westminster Church, ^^ Utica, by Rev. Dr. Brown: " Gather up the fragments of our broken hearts and hopes. How many lives are, so to speak, mere relics of an ended feast ; frag- ments which may be either left to waste, or taken up and made the most of. Loss, bereavements, pain, suffering come to us, but we are in the midst of life's battle. We cannot stop. One ardent embrace, one loving kiss, one tearful farewell, and then, gathering up the fragments of our disappointed hopes and broken joys, on we must go to where other heights are to be captured and other foes conquered, and other crowns to be won." WILL gather up the fragments ; It is my Lord's command ; All broken, trampled under foot. But He will understand What it costs to take up broken lives And lay them in his hand. A year of bitter memories. Of buried loves, of pain, Of doubts and fears and wilful prayers, Which rose to God in vain. A desert meal was mine, and these. The fragments that remain. Some wet with mould of bitter tears, Some dry with passion's heat, And many black with dust and grime Of careless tramplmg feet. Such crumbs the very birds would spurn, That flutter in the street. The scanty fare was coarse and hard, The table rudely spread, The grassy mound I sat upon Rose fresh above my dead. My blinded eyes refused to see That Jesus broke the bread. The battle will not stop, ah no ! But the wounded cannot fight. In the broad, bright sun are victories won, But in the dark of night, The weary lay their armor down And wait for morning light. The battle for the strong — but I Am very tired, and weak ; And the quiet spot at the hillside feast Is the only place I seek ; Where the din of conflict will not drown The words that He will speak. His voice may feill upon my soul, Divinely sweet and low, Then at the future looming up, I shall not tremble so, But this strange, restless heart of mine Will brave and quiet grow. Easier pioWers. Reprinted /rovt '■'Harper's Young People,'^ by permission. 'Q^) E are going to church," smiled the lily ; '^ "We are going to church," blushed the rose " Then I certainly think," said the pert little pink, " We should wear our prettiest clothes. ^' So, heliotrope, put on your lilac ; And, crocus, your bright yellow vest ; Sweet violets, you must wear bonnets of blue, While the rose shall in crimson be dressed. " Our lily shall don her white satin, " And in white, too, the calla be seen. While the hyacinth fair shall shall wear pink in her hair, And the smilax have ribbons of screen. " The passion-flower tremblingly whispered, With eyes looking tearful and sad, " For me there's no room ; I speak only of gloom ; In garments of grief I am clad." Then the bright Easter lily looked upward, While her sinile the whole garden illumed. " Oh, dear little sister, there ne'er had been Easter If passion-flowers never had bloomed." The church bells were joyfully ringing When out of the garden they passed, And down through the porch and into the church. Till they came to the altar at last. They climbed over archway and pillar, They nestled in baskets of moss ; The rose found a place in a beautiful vase. And the passion-Hower clung to a cross. And they swayed to the breeze of the organ, That sent its great throb through the air, When " Laudamus " was sung all their censers they swung And they nodded " Amen " to each prayer. They smiled in response to the children. So like them in innocent grace. When the sermon was reached and the minister preached They all looked him straight in the face. " Oh, my people," he said speaking softly. Looking down on the listening throng, " On this day of all days it is meet we give praise, With offerings of flowers and glad song. " But desolate homes are around us. Where dwell the distressed and forlorn. Their carol a strain full of discord and pain, Their lily of Easter a thorn. " Go forth, O beloved, and find them. Your hearts with pure love all aglow ; E'en the lowliest flower that fades in an hour The Lord's resurrection may show." The great congregation departed ; The flowers looked around in surprise. " And must we stay here " said the rose, while a teai Bedimmed yellow daffodil's eyes. *' I think we've a message to carry," Was the heliotrope's gentle reply, " But how can we know to what places to go ?'" Said the gay little pink, with a sigh, A flutter, a rustle, a whisper, A step light and fleet as a fawn, And, behold ! standing close by the royal red rose Was a child with a face like the dawn. The flowers are first cousins to children, The angels to both are akin, And without spoken word all the bright blossoms heard Where the dear little maiden had been. She told them a wonderful secret, They blushed with exquisite delight ; With tremulous haste down the long aisle they passed, Until they were lost to the sight. The heliotrope found a dark cellar, A home of grim want and despair ; The white pink was led to a hospital bed. And a rose climbed a rickety stair. The daffodil followed a beggar ; By its side the hyacinth pressed ; The violets crept where a dear baby slept, And laid themselves down on its breast. The passion-flower caught in its purple The tears which an erring one shed ; In a dark, shrouded room Easter lilies in bloom Waved their banner of hope o'er the dead. A dream of the fancy you call it ? Some dreams have a touch that's divine ; And a child's simple act may turn fancy to fact In fulfilling this vision of mine. KKOM "TANGLETOP OR A YEAR WITH THE GIRLS OF LOCUST HILL, CP^HAT evening, before the lamps were lighted, the circle gathered \D around the bright wood-fire in the library : Mr. Sherwood in the midst, Mrs. Sherwood near him with Fay in her lap. They were talking of the events and impressions of the day. There was a moment's hush. "Sing, Daisy!" pleaded Fay. Marguerite rose and went to the piano. A tender, minor prelude ushered in the Resurrection Song. " She came into the garden at the dawning of the day : In her hands were fragrant spices, rich and rare. She saw with weeping wonder, that the stone was rolled away! But she dreamed not of the vision waiting there. " Oh! never Easter lily, wore a beauty .so divine, As the face that looked upon her in the gloom: And, oh! the voice that called her, by that name once linked to sin. As she stood with breaking heart, by Joseph's tomb. " We have stood beside the Hlies in the garden of the Lord: We have seen the empty grave, where Jesus lay. And he calls us each by name, and will speak the blessed word, Which shall banish all our doubt and fear away. " We have wept around his cross, 7i>e will sing beside his tomb: And obey the gracious call, and follow on: Through life, through death itself, till that Easter morn shall come Which shall never know the setting of the sun," As she left the piano and resumed her place by Kitty's side, Fay broke the silence. " Papa, does the angels sing such booful Easter songs as Marget?" ■' The angels' songs are sweet, my little girl, but they sing no Easter carols — "The angels sing His glory, /wt His redeeming grace, In the sinless Heavens where He among them stands: For them,l\\Q matchless beauty of His radiant, unveiled face: For us, the nail-prints in His outstretc/ied /tain/s." Kitty looked up with wondering eyes : "I have always wished I had been created an angel, but now — why, Mr. Sherwood, does He love us the best ? '" " He died for us! Greater love hath no man than this, that He laid down His life for its, sinners I " passior\ pioW^rs ar\d Easier Is ihes. N this brief clianging life of ours, Mingling with sweet and fragrant flowers, The Passion Flowers entwine; They speak of pain and bitter tears, Of buried hopes, and fruitless years. Of sweat of Blood Divine. But when the purple clusters droop, Behold the flowers that whisper Hope, E'en by the stone sealed tomb; For what in Life can bring despair If close beside each grief and care The Easter Lilies bloom ? "fpf^e Kin|'s (Sarden; IN MEMORIAM. R. C. Easter, 1885. <^^HE king came into his garden fair, ^-^At the dawn of a summer's day. The sun was shining on leaf and flower Like diamonds melting away. The flowers all lifted their pretty heads, And greeted the blushing sky, And the buds looked out from their hiding place, To see who was passing by. In a sheltered nook was a tiny plant Just peeping out from the earth. Said the king to his servants standing near, "This plant is of rarest worth. " You must take it out, with a tender hand, Out from this garden bright. And my precious treasure you must hide, Away from the dazzling light. "And then, when the first faint buds appear, Your loving care you must show, By the pruning knife, with its blade so keen. Till / give it leave to grow. " All the buds and blossoms are dear to me,' That bask in the sun's bright smile, If I seem severe to this little plant, 'Tis but for a little while." He smiled on all the beautiful flowers. And the flowers smiled back on him. But the look he gave to that little one Made the servants' eyes grow dim. The king passed out from the garden fair, And his servants, hour by hour, And day by day, and week by week, Tended the precious flower. And through the darkness and through the light, They sought to obey his Wurd, And oh, how they loved the tender plant Thev were trainina: for their Lord. The summer glory had passed away, The winter was drawing near. When they heard the steps of the coming King, And their hearts grew still with fear. 17 " I have come for my choicest flower," He said '' For the one I love the best, In my heavenly garden it now shall grow, I will bear it away on my breast." vAnd the servants fell at their master's feet, With a bitter cry of pain, " Oh, ye faithful ones, be comforted, Ye shall see your flower again. Thro' the clouds that veiled my purposes. The light breaks out at last. And oh, its beauty and loveliness, And its glory unsurpassed." Dear friends the Easter tide is near. May the comfort it imparts. Descend like the very peace of Heaven, Into your longing hearts.