36
LONE FIRES
"Get along-ng-ng! though flowers are sweet," scoffed Blink, "we'll not concede a jot!
Vermin nest in the hearts of flowers; all lilies are touched with rot!"
Vermin nest in the hearts of flowers; all lilies are touched with rot!"
"Jug-o'-r-r-rum!" croaked Puff, "why sing of the stars, so cold, remote, and high!
I pray to a closer, warmer light; I sing of the firefly!"
I pray to a closer, warmer light; I sing of the firefly!"
And thus deriding the heavenly host, this tribe with vocal might
And philosophic grunt held forth through many a summer night. . .
And philosophic grunt held forth through many a summer night. . .
Autumn marched in with its bluster and blow;
And winter rushed down with a whirling of snow.
The swamp-world lay dead and th' amphibian choir
Slept songless and lean in the beautiful mire,
Where the muck-rooted lilies and slender reeds
Were a mess of rank rubbish and rotting weeds.
And the will-o'-the-wisp, the substitute star,
The ideal of Life, of "things as they are,"
Curled up his carcass and jerked up his knees,—
His lamp flickered out in the first autumn breeze.
And the placid old moon widely yawned, slyly blinked;
And the stars with a chuckle looked pond-ward, and winked!
And winter rushed down with a whirling of snow.
The swamp-world lay dead and th' amphibian choir
Slept songless and lean in the beautiful mire,
Where the muck-rooted lilies and slender reeds
Were a mess of rank rubbish and rotting weeds.
And the will-o'-the-wisp, the substitute star,
The ideal of Life, of "things as they are,"
Curled up his carcass and jerked up his knees,—
His lamp flickered out in the first autumn breeze.
And the placid old moon widely yawned, slyly blinked;
And the stars with a chuckle looked pond-ward, and winked!
