Chimneysmoke

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This hearth was built for thy delight,
For thee the logs were sawn,
For thee the largest chair, at night,
Is to the chimney drawn.

For thee, dear lass, the match was lit,
To yield the ruddy blaze—
May Jack Frost give us joy of it
For many, many days.

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Chimneysmoke

by

Christopher Morley

Illustrated by

Thomas Fogarty

Garden City, New York Doubleday, Page & Co.
1927

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COPYRIGHT, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921
BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN
THE UNITED STATES AT THE COUNTRY
LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

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"How can I turn from any fire
On any man's hearthstone?
I know the wonder and desire
That went to build my own."

—Rudyard Kipling; "The Fires"

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Author's Note

There are a number of poems in this collection that have not previously appeared in book form. But, as a few readers may discern, many of the verses are reprinted from Songs for a Little House (1917), The Rocking Horse (1919) and Hide and Seek (1920). There is also one piece revived from the judicious obscurity of an early escapade, The Eighth Sin, published in Oxford in 1912. It is on Mr. Thomas Fogarty's delightful and sympathetic drawings that this book rests its real claim to be considered a new venture. To Mr. Fogarty, and to Mr. George H. Doran, whose constant kindness and generosity contradict all the traditions about publishers and minor poets, the author expresses his permanent gratitude.

Roslyn, Long Island.

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Contents

PAGE TO THE LITTLE HOUSE 19 A GRACE BEFORE WRITING 20 DEDICATION FOR A FIREPLACE 21 TAKING TITLE 22 THE SECRET 25 ONLY A MATTER OF TIME 26 AT THE MERMAID CAFETERIA 28 OUR HOUSE 29 ON NAMING A HOUSE 31 A HALLOWE'EN MEMORY

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">32 REFUSING YOU IMMORTALITY 35 BAYBERRY CANDLES 36 SECRET LAUGHTER 37 SIX WEEKS OLD 38 A CHARM 41 MY PIPE 42 THE 5:42 44 PETER PAN 48 IN HONOR OF TAFFY TOPAZ 49 THE CEDAR CHEST 50 READING ALOUD 51 ANIMAL CRACKERS 52 THE MILKMAN 55 LIGHT VERSE 56 THE FURNACE 57 WASHING THE DISHES 58 THE CHURCH OF UNBENT KNEES 61 ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY COAL-BIN 62 THE OLD SWIMMER 66 THE MOON-SHEEP 70 SMELLS 71

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">SMELLS (JUNIOR) 72 MAR QUONG, CHINESE LAUNDRYMAN 75 THE FAT LITTLE PURSE 76 THE REFLECTION 80 THE BALLOON PEDDLER 82 LINES FOR AN ECCENTRIC'S BOOK PLATE 86 TO A POST-OFFICE INKWELL 89 THE CRIB 90 THE POET 94 TO A DISCARDED MIRROR 97 TO A CHILD 98 TO A VERY YOUNG GENTLEMAN 100 TO AN OLD-FASHIONED POET 104 BURNING LEAVES IN SPRING 105 BURNING LEAVES, NOVEMBER 106 A VALENTINE GAME 107 FOR A BIRTHDAY 108 KEATS 111 TO H. F. M., A SONNET IN SUNLIGHT 113 QUICKENING 114 AT A WINDOW SILL 115 THE RIVER OF LIGHT

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@37852@[email protected]#pg_116" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">116 OF HER GLORIOUS MADNESS 118 IN AN AUCTION ROOM 119 EPITAPH FOR A POET WHO WROTE NO POETRY 120 SONNET BY A GEOMETER 121 TO A VAUDEVILLE TERRIER 122 TO AN OLD FRIEND 125 TO A BURLESQUE SOUBRETTE 126 THOUGHTS WHILE PACKING A TRUNK 129 STREETS 130 TO THE ONLY BEGETTER 131 PEDOMETER 133 HOSTAGES 134 ARS DURA 137 O. HENRY—APOTHECARY 138 FOR THE CENTENARY OF KEATS'S SONNET 139 TWO O'CLOCK 140 THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER 141 THE WEDDED LOVER 142 TO YOU, REMEMBERING THE PAST 143 CHARLES AND MARY 144 TO A GRANDMOTHER

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@37852@[email protected]#pg_145" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">145 DIARISTS 146 THE LAST SONNET 147 THE SAVAGE 148 ST. PAUL'S AND WOOLWORTH 149 ADVICE TO A CITY 150 THE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY 151 GREEN ESCAPE 153 VESPER SONG FOR COMMUTERS 157 THE ICE WAGON 158 AT A MOVIE THEATRE 161 SONNETS IN A LODGING HOUSE 163 THE MAN WITH THE HOE (PRESS) 167 DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE GOD? 168 RAPID TRANSIT 170 CAUGHT IN THE UNDERTOW 171 TO HIS BROWN-EYED MISTRESS 172 PEACE 173 SONG, IN DEPRECATION OF PULCHRITUDE 175 MOUNTED POLICE 176 TO HIS MISTRESS, DEPLORING THAT HE IS NOT AN ELIZABETHAN GALAXY 179 THE INTRUDER

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@37852@[email protected]#pg_181" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">181 TIT FOR TAT 182 SONG FOR A LITTLE HOUSE 185 THE PLUMPUPPETS 186 DANDY DANDELION 190 THE HIGH CHAIR 192 LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT 193 AUTUMN COLORS 197 THE LAST CRICKET 198 TO LOUISE 199 CHRISTMAS EVE 203 EPITAPH ON THE PROOFREADER OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA 204 THE MUSIC BOX 205 TO LUATH 209 THOUGHTS ON REACHING LAND 212 A SYMPOSIUM 214 TO A TELEPHONE OPERATOR WHO HAS A BAD COLD 218 NURSERY RHYMES FOR THE TENDER-HEARTED 219 THE TWINS 227 A PRINTER'S MADRIGAL 228 THE POET ON THE HEARTH 230 O PRAISE ME NOT THE COUNTRY

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@37852@[email protected]#pg_231" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">231 A STONE IN ST. PAUL'S GRAVEYARD 235 THE MADONNA OF THE CURB 236 THE ISLAND 240 SUNDAY NIGHT 242 ENGLAND, JULY, 1913 246 CASUALTY 250 A GRUB STREET RECESSIONAL 251 PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTIONS FOR A FUNERAL SERVICE 253

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Illustrations

PAGE This hearth was built for thy delight— Frontispiece And by a friend's bright gift of wine,
I dedicate this house of mine 23 And of all man's felicities— 33 A little world he feels and sees:
His mother's arms, his mother's knees— 39 The 5:42 47 And Daddy once said he would like to be me
Having cocoa and animals once more for tea! 53 But heavy feeding complicates
The task by soiling many plates 59 How ill avail, on such a frosty night 65 The old swimmer 69 But Katie, the cook, is more splendid than all— 73

pginternal" href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@37852@[email protected]#pg_79" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">Perhaps it's a ragged child crying 79 The Balloon Peddler 85 If you appreciate it more
Than I—why don't return it! 87 And then one night— 93 The human cadence and the subtle chime
Of little laughters— 95 What years of youthful ills and pangs and bumps— 103 A Birthday 109 You must be rigid servant of your art! 123 You came, and impudent and deuce-may-care
Danced where the gutter flamed with footlight fire 127 Hostages 135 My eyes still pine for the comely line
Of an outbound vessel's hull 155 A man ain't so secretive, never cares
What kind of private papers he leaves lay— 165 Mounted Police 177 Courtesy 183 The Plumpuppets 189 ... It's hard to have to tell
How unresponsive I have found her 195 ... When you see, this Great First Time,
Lit candles on a Christmas Tree! 201 The music box 207 Solugubrious 217 In the midnight, like yourself,
I explore the pantry shelf!

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@37852@[email protected]#pg_221" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">221 The Twins 227 O praise me not the country 233 The wail of sickly children— 239 Ah, does the butcher—heartless clown—
Beget that shadow on her brow? 245

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