THOUGHT AND FANCY

BARTER *

Life has loveliness to sell

All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,

Climbing fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell-
Music like a curve of gold,

Scent of pine trees in the rain,

Eyes that love you, arms that hold,

And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost,
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy

Give all you have been or could be.

-Sara Teasdale

TIME, YOU OLD GYPSY MAN

Time, you old gypsy man,

Will you not stay,

*

* From Love Songs, by Sara Teasdale. Used by special permission of

The Macmillan Company, publishers.

* From Poems, by Ralph Hodgson. Used by special permission of The Macmillan Company, publishers.

Put up your caravan
Just for one day?

All things I'll give you
Will you be my guest,
Bells for your jennet
Of silver the best.

Goldsmiths shall beat you

A great golden ring.
Peacocks shall bow to you,
Little boys sing.

Oh, and sweet girls will
Festoon you with may,

Time, you old gypsy,
Why hasten away?
Last week in Babylon,
Last night in Rome,
Morning, and in the crush
Under Paul's dome;

Under Paul's dial

You tighten your rein

Only a moment,

And off once again;

Off to some city

Now blind in the womb,

Off to another

Ere that's in the tomb.

Time, you old gypsy man,

Will you not stay, Put up your caravan

Just for one day?

-Ralph Hodgson