Page:All quiet along the Potomac and other poems.djvu/132

 126 ON THE STAIRS.

Fear not for the spring-time awaking;

Tis sure as the path of a star ; The Watcher unsleeping is ready

The doorway of sleep to unbar

In time for that stir in the forest

For the ears of a mortal too fine, When rootlets commence their spring ploughing,

And maple trees call up their wine.

Good-night, little shivering grasses !

Lie down neath the coverlet white, And rest till the cuckoo is singing ;

Good-night, little grasses, good-night !

��ON THE STAIRS.

THEY talked about music and fate, And moonlight, and swift intuition ; They murmured of mystical lore Love s advent by sweet premonition.

Then stared at the sticks of her fan And quoted small scraps from a song All about faithful love and its glory.
 * Till it broke so it seems from their story-

A compact of friendship came next, Like an opal, fire-hearted, soft glowing,

Till jealousy taught one the truth,

Who woke from a dream at its showing.

�� �