THE MORNING


The morning freshened with the dew of night,
Was glad with crowing cock and singing bird;
And through the mists came hope and kindly word.
The east aglow with early amber light.
As perking coffee roused the hungry sprite;
Beside the hearth a friendly pussy purred,
And in a crib a blue-eyed baby stirred,
Awakened from sweet slumber of the night.
O dawning! Here with all her usual charm.
Another day to toil for child and friend,
One hour to praise our God, while hatreds ebbed;
To hope and live and succor from all harm
Those weaker ones who know not how to fend,
And cast a beam that lights their way ahead.




O RIVER BANK


I love to loiter by the old oak tree,
Where waters ripple over clean white stones,
And cresses, mint with feathered fern grown high.