AN OLD-TIMER

AN OLD-TIMER

Here where the wayward streamIs restful as a dream,And where the banks o’erlookA pool from out whose deepsMy pleased face upward peeps,I cast my hook.Silence and sunshine blent!—A Sabbath-like contentOf wood and wave;—a free-Hand landscape grandly wroughtOf Summer’s brightest thoughtAnd mastery.—For here form, light and shade,And color—all are laidWith skill so rarely fine,The eye may even seeThe ripple tremblinglyLip at the line.I mark the dragon-flyFlit waveringly byIn ever-veering flight,Till, in a hush profound,I see him eddy roundThe “cork,” and—’light!Ho! with the boy’s faith thenBrimming my heart again,And knowing, soon or late,The “nibble” yet shall rollIts thrills along the pole,I—breathless—wait.

Here where the wayward streamIs restful as a dream,And where the banks o’erlookA pool from out whose deepsMy pleased face upward peeps,I cast my hook.Silence and sunshine blent!—A Sabbath-like contentOf wood and wave;—a free-Hand landscape grandly wroughtOf Summer’s brightest thoughtAnd mastery.—For here form, light and shade,And color—all are laidWith skill so rarely fine,The eye may even seeThe ripple tremblinglyLip at the line.I mark the dragon-flyFlit waveringly byIn ever-veering flight,Till, in a hush profound,I see him eddy roundThe “cork,” and—’light!Ho! with the boy’s faith thenBrimming my heart again,And knowing, soon or late,The “nibble” yet shall rollIts thrills along the pole,I—breathless—wait.

Here where the wayward streamIs restful as a dream,And where the banks o’erlookA pool from out whose deepsMy pleased face upward peeps,I cast my hook.

Here where the wayward stream

Is restful as a dream,

And where the banks o’erlook

A pool from out whose deeps

My pleased face upward peeps,

I cast my hook.

Silence and sunshine blent!—A Sabbath-like contentOf wood and wave;—a free-Hand landscape grandly wroughtOf Summer’s brightest thoughtAnd mastery.—

Silence and sunshine blent!—

A Sabbath-like content

Of wood and wave;—a free-

Hand landscape grandly wrought

Of Summer’s brightest thought

And mastery.—

For here form, light and shade,And color—all are laidWith skill so rarely fine,The eye may even seeThe ripple tremblinglyLip at the line.

For here form, light and shade,

And color—all are laid

With skill so rarely fine,

The eye may even see

The ripple tremblingly

Lip at the line.

I mark the dragon-flyFlit waveringly byIn ever-veering flight,Till, in a hush profound,I see him eddy roundThe “cork,” and—’light!

I mark the dragon-fly

Flit waveringly by

In ever-veering flight,

Till, in a hush profound,

I see him eddy round

The “cork,” and—’light!

Ho! with the boy’s faith thenBrimming my heart again,And knowing, soon or late,The “nibble” yet shall rollIts thrills along the pole,I—breathless—wait.

Ho! with the boy’s faith then

Brimming my heart again,

And knowing, soon or late,

The “nibble” yet shall roll

Its thrills along the pole,

I—breathless—wait.


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