Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/422

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��CLYTIE.

��BY G. WILLIS PATTERSON.

��I.

��Clytie has a saucy air : Pert and proud, pert and daring; Careless, jaunty, negligent; All alive yet indolent; Indifferent, abandoned. Yet alert and spirited; — Wondrous, winsome is the bearing Of the coquette, Clytie fair. Rare, strange opposites do meet In her manner wild and sweet.

II.

She can greet you, oh. so sweetly; She can run so very fleetly ; She can throw or stone or ball ; She can vault or fence or wall ; She will dare to fire a gun ; Cares nor straw for tanning sun ; She can deftly hold an oar, Dares to push from any shore ; Never had a doll for toy, And can whistle like a boy ; She will climb a slender tree Arching o'er a rushing stream : — Good ! that such an one may be In the land of life or dream !

III.

When the dull world is asleep,

Vigils will my Clytie keep,

Where the moonlight's shadows creep

In and out among the trees,

With a manner ill at ease, —

Since the shadows are in love

With the pale light from above.

Oft among the silences Of the starry-tranced trees, Clytie ponders fantasies, — Fantasies as pure and sweet As the moonlight at her feet ; Fantasies of love. I deem. For of love will maidens dream.

IV.

Clytie loves the dim, deep wood, — Mossy bank, path of pine, Dew-kissed fern, trailing vine, Where she wanders, oft, alone With the May-flowers in her zone, Dreaming dreams not understood ; Dreams whose meaning,sweet, is hidden, Like the fairest flowers of May, Blushing lest to gaze of day They from timid haunt be bidden.

��Clytie on the sward

Loves herself to fling,

And hear the music of the brooks

As composed by God.

Clytie on the sward,

When pure poets sing.

Loves the music, sweet, in books,

All inspired by God.

VI.

God. the artist who has made

The world a thing of beauty,

Must regard it as man's duty,

Who can mingle light and shade

In a moving work of art

From the colors in his heart, —

Must regard it as man's duty,

Self-denying, to create

That which men, in love with beauty,

Shall, ennobled, contemplate.

VII.

Clytie loves the peeping flowers,

Unobtrusive, sweet.

Clytie 'mong the quiet hours,

Loves her friends to greet.

And, by Cly tie's friends 'tis known,

Clytie loves to be alone.

VIII. But with gentler mood is blent An interlude Of restive mood : With nor dance nor merriment Clytie. gay, is discontent. Wan solitude With gesture rude, Tho' beloved, hath been sent From strange Clytie, versatile In affections and in will.

IX.

Like the golden sands

'Neath a light and laughing stream.

In gay Clytie's soul are rife

Qualities to make her life

Other than a lovely dream,

Where the happy heroine,

Though full pure and free from sin,

Has but idle hands.

X.

Clytie has a heart serene,

And rare common sense.

Clytie gay nor needs defense.

Wise it is in her to fling

Stern care from her, ere her king

Comes with love to crown her queen.

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