A Woman Speaks.

Forth unto Horeb in my mighty sorrow
I hastened, seeking everywhere the bland,
Calm face of Moses, absent from the land
Now forty days, and from his laws to borrow
Justice, and speedy vengeance from his hand;

Moses, who walked to meet his awful Master,
Alone among dull thunders, face to face,
He who could give me fortitude and grace
To bear the burden of my fell disaster,

" " I lied, I lied to thee, oh Hell's own traitor!
When to my lips the words of passion came;
I love Him as a lover; as a hater
I hate thee and thy shame!

" " He said to me: " Thy sins are all forgiven! "
He said to thee: " Judas, thou wilt betray! "
And now, destroyer, from all mercy driven,
Away! Away! Away!"

" Frenzy, remorse, delirium satanic
Possessed me in my infamous despair;
I knew naught, as my pulses throbbed in panic;

" And low they whispered: " Traitor, we have missed him!
No such a one as Christ has sought this dell!"
But I cried out: " Hail Master!" and I kissed Him;
Then upon Him they fell!

" And He said: " Wherefore dost thou now betray me,
Oh, Judas, my disciple above all?
Why did my watchful brethren not delay me,
Or answer to my call?"

" And I said to Him: " Was not this predicted?
Didst thou not know thy Heavenly Father's will?

" Ah then, O man, from no chagrin exempted,
Blind by my passion, scourged by passion's rod,
I, by the Lord, omnipotent was tempted,
Ay, by the living God!

" He came unto me in my sad prostration
And cried: " Iscariot, hearken and obey!
If thou aspirest to thy soul's salvation,
Jesus thou must betray!

" " Here will thou suffer in the hopes thou leadest,
Here wilt thy life be piteous to foretell,
But if my most supreme command thou heedest,

Once, when with fever of unrest I slumbered,
Wearied by shadowy fancies without aim,
Uncertain dreams and vague alarms unnumbered,
Before mine eyes there came.

The semblance of a spirit most mysterious,
A presence whose approaching breath was warm,
A shape that stood before me, stern and serious,
Taking a human form.

Its lofty brow seemed seared by sin's excesses;
A deathly pallor blanched a haggard face,
While supplicating eyes beneath long tresses

ENVOI

O daring travelers of the blast,
Saw ye the heavenly band
That bade their Italy stand fast?
Shall they not to her hand
Send all the strength of all the Past
To save your Holy Land?

A VISION OF HEROES

Then, through the mellow twilight air,
There falls another sight:
A thousand white-winged pilots fare
High in the sunset light,
And all that men or devils dare
Is centered in their might.

These neighbors of the stars, who hold
The bridle of the gale,
Whose courage, in the zenith cold,
Is still their stoutest mail —
To whom should fitlier be told

A VISION OF THE DEAD

A stir recalled me to the West
When lo! what change I saw!
Not crowned with haloes were the blessed
But helmeted with awe;
The robes were warriors' cloaks; out-pressed
Each sword toward Austria.

Alike had been th' angelic fold
As rose to rose may be,
But now the patriot ranks out-rolled
As far as eye could see —
Souls that had begged from Heaven the mould

A VISION OF ANGELS

Then there appeared with robe and crown
A host in heavenly guise,
As all the angels had come down
From Dante's Paradise;
The thought of some Italian town
Gave glory to their eyes.

The sunset pierced them through with gold
And many-colored fire,
Till they as beautifully were stoled
As Fra Beato's choir:
A cloud of witnesses of old

( AFTER CAPORETTO )

I T was a black and baneful day
In Chivalry's decline
When Austria found her devil's-way
To break Savoia's line.
" Five nights from now, " the braggarts say,
" In Venice we shall dine. "

The true world's hope again burned low,
And doubt grew pale to see
The havoc of the wily blow,
And warned of worse to be;
But my Italian heart cried " No, "