19 quotes
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
The bugle echoes shrill and sweet,
But not of war it sings to-day.
The road is rhythmic with the feet
Of men-at-arms who come to pray.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
There is no strange and distant place
That is not gladdened by His face.
And every nation kneels to hail
The Splendour shining through Its veil.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
May we, their grateful children, learn
Their strength, who lie beneath this sod,
Who went through fire and death to earn
At last the accolade of God.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
Yes, God forgives and men forget,
And you're forgiven and forgotten.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
They shall not live who have not tasted death.
They only sing who are struck dumb by God.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
And when you think of love and fame
And all that might have come to pass,
Then don't you feel a little shame?
And don't you think you were an ass?
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
He is the lord of goodly things
That make the poor man's table gay,
Yet of his worth no minstrel sings
And on his tomb there is no bay.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
An iron hand has stilled the throats
That throbbed with loud and rhythmic glee
And dammed the flood of silver notes
That drenched the world in melody.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
This man has home and child and wife
And battle set for every day.
This man has God and love and life;
These stand, all else shall pass away.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
And now deep in his weary heart
Are sacred flames that whitely burn.
He has of Heaven's grace a part
Who loves, who is beloved in turn.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
He bears a sword of flame but not to harm
The wakened life that feels his quickening sway
And barnyard voices shrilling "It is day!"
Take by his grace a new and alien charm.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
Yet stars in greater numbers shine,
And violets in millions grow,
And they in many a golden line
Are sung, as every child must know.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
I have no vision of gods, not of Eros with love-arrows laden,
Jupiter thundering death or of Juno his white-breasted queen,
Yet have I seen
All of the joy of the world in the innocent heart of a maiden.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
The scene shall never fit the deed.
Grotesquely wonders come to pass.
The fool shall mount an Arab steed
And Jesus ride upon an ass.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
In shining rank on rank arrayed
They march, the legions of the Lord;
He is their Captain unafraid,
The Prince of Peace . . . Who brought a sword.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
Here is a shop of wonderment.
From every land has come a prize;
Rich spices from the Orient,
And fruit that knew Italian skies,
And figs that ripened by the sea
In Smyrna, nuts from hot Brazil,
Strange pungent meats from Germany,
And currants from a Grecian hill.
Trees and Other Poems (1914)
O Carpenter of Nazareth,
Whose mother was a village maid,
Shall we, Thy children, blow our breath
In scorn on any humble trade?
Have pity on our foolishness
And give us eyes, that we may see
Beneath the shopman's clumsy dress
The splendor of humanity!
Trees and Other Poems (1914)