fire,
And listened to the sleigh-bells chime, and watched
the flames leap higher,
To grasp at shadows, sombre-hued, with fiendish, red
desire.

And then mad April came again -- I felt the breezes
blowing,
And I forgot the fear, the pain. . . . I only knew
that, glowing,
In shady nook and garden spot, pale hyacinths were
growing.

And when across the perfumed lea (for nothing could
defeat him! )
My vagrant love crept back to me . . . I did not
mean to greet him;
But April opened up my heart, and, oh, I ran to
meet him!




THE DESERT PATH -- SEVEN SONNETS

I.

The camel tracks led whitely across the desert sand,
And one came riding after with furtive mystery;
Ah, one came swiftly riding, a dagger in his hand,