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��Ruth Strong

Miss Ruth Strong of Hamilton, Ontario, an undergraduate of the University of Toronto.

TOPIA Land of Content

The dreamy, golden glamour of a June morning:

Blue lilac blooms caressing the rank grass

Where dandelions riot

Glorious ere their swift decline ;

And scarlet blots against the tender green

Of waving elms,

Beside the deep, cool grey of Gothic Knox.

Picture of Artisy! Alas, the scarlet

Is the red of drilling soldiers coats

The World s at War !

A BLIND SOLDIER IN A GARDEN

FAIRY took my hand to-day

And led me to a garden.

I felt the softness of the grass

Flower perfumes spoke to me.

I gathered round, smooth apples, and as I stooped,

The sun was warm upon my back.

Down a path I met a wind ;

Leaning against it I breathed hard,

I felt its vigour and laughed deeply.

Into the garden crept music

Leaping to glad rhapsody, I listened. . ..

Out from the back, danced a girl,

White and beautiful

Down to a clear green pool she danced,

Her hair flaming in the sun,

Her blue eyes smiling over the wet red stones,

Her arms stretched out to me.

I reached out to her

And a cold, drear mist embraced me

Flanders Black!

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