Page:Foliage, various poems.djvu/60

 From sweet content; and pearls, whose fires

Make ashes of our best desires.

For I have heard the sighs and whines

Of rich men that drink costly wines

And eat the best of fish and fowl;

Men that have plenty, and still growl

Because they cannot like kings live—

"Alas!" they whine, "we cannot save."

Since I have heard those rich ones sigh,

Made poor by their desires so high,

I cherish more a simple mind;

That I am well content to find

My pictures in the open air,

And let my walls and floors go bare;

That I with lovely things can fill

My rooms, whene'er sweet Fancy will.

I make a fallen tree my chair,

And soon forget no cushion's there;

I lie upon the grass or straw,

And no soft down do I sigh for;

For with me all the time I keep

Sweet dreams that, do I wake or sleep,

Shed on me still their kindly beams;

Aye, I am richer with my dreams

Than banks where men dull-eyed and cold

Without a tremble shovel gold.

A happy life is this. I walk