Two Short Poems By Stevenson

mu

"Fair Isle At Sea..."

Fair Isle at Sea - thy lovely name
Soft in my ear like music came.
That sea I loved, and once or twice
I touched at isles of Paradise.


Night and Day

From Child's Garden of Verses

When the golden day is done,
     Through the closing portal,
Child and garden, Flower and sun,
     Vanish all things mortal.

As the blinding shadows fall
     As the rays diminish,
Under evening's cloak they all
     Roll away and vanish.

Garden darkened, daisy shut,
     Child in bed, they slumber--
Glow-worm in the hallway rut,
     Mice among the lumber.

In the darkness houses shine,
     Parents move the candles;
Till on all the night divine
     Turns the bedroom handles.

Till at last the day begins
     In the east a-breaking,
In the hedges and the whins
     Sleeping birds a-waking.

In the darkness shapes of things,
     Houses, trees and hedges,
Clearer grow; and sparrow's wings
     Beat on window ledges.

These shall wake the yawning maid;
     She the door shall open--
Finding dew on garden glade
     And the morning broken.

There my garden grows again
     Green and rosy painted,
As at eve behind the pane
     From my eyes it fainted.

Just as it was shut away,
     Toy-like, in the even,
Here I see it glow with day
     Under glowing heaven.

Every path and every plot,
     Every blush of roses,
Every blue forget-me-not
     Where the dew reposes,

"Up!" they cry, "the day is come
     On the smiling valleys:
We have beat the morning drum;
     Playmate, join your allies!"