Classic Poem

That's the way the cabalistic letters go,
Glimmering in the daisies' eyes,
Fairy-wise,
Folded up, crushed together, deep in the nest
Of each golden breast,
Sticking to the little white lances;
Pull them off, spread them out, tell their fancies,
" Snowbell, Snowbell, Snowbell, "
Crabbed letters spell;
You little crooked thing there can sing,
Tell us almost anything;
Magic letters, spreading verse,
Fairy histories rehearse;
Diamond sparkle, rainbow hue,
Gathering, glistening in the dew;
Tears and treasure come together,
Fears and pleasure, cut the tether,
Pleasure choosing,
Tears refusing,
Treasure losing.
But you go, but you fly
Like thistle-down in ripeness blown,
Toward the sky,
Melt like snow in tender weather,
Cowering, hiding in the flower roots,
Down the grass-blades sliding.
Lo! the verses break and fade
Of demon, dwarfs, and fairy maid;
All the letters mix together
In a jumble
Blunt and pointed, simple-jointed,
Heavy as lead and light as feather,
Short and jagged, smooth and thin,
All press in.
Midnight powers, summer haze,
Ceaseless chime
Of silver promise, golden prime,
Fading time —
Faint and more faintly ebbing, flowing
Through the breezes earthward blowing,
Round and round the even rays,

Dim nights and days,
Through the under-ground fairy ways,
See them tumble;
So, we go, in amaze.