MAURINE

AND OTHER POEMS

BY
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

W. B. CONKEY COMPANY
CHICAGO

Copyright, 1888
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

I step across the mystic border-land,
And look upon the wonder-world of Art.
How beautiful, how beautiful its hills!
And all its valleys, how surpassing fair!

The winding paths that lead up to the heights
Are polished by the footsteps of the great.
The mountain‑peaks stand very near to God:
The chosen few whose feet have trod thereon
Have talked with Him, and with the angels walked.

Here are no sounds of discord—no profane
Or senseless gossip of unworthy things—
Only the songs of chisels and of pens.
Of busy brushes, and ecstatic strains
Of souls surcharged with music most divine.
Here is no idle sorrow, no poor grief
For any day or object left behind—
For time is counted precious, and herein
Is such complete abandonment of Self
That tears turn into rainbows, and enhance
The beauty of the land where all is fair.

Awed and afraid, I cross the border‑land.
Oh, who am I, that I dare enter here
Where the great artists of the world have trod—
The genius‑crowned aristocrats of Earth?
Only the singer of a little song;
Yet loving Art with such a mighty love
I hold it greater to have won a place
Just on the fair land's edge, to make my grave,
Than in the outer world of greed and gain
To sit upon a royal throne and reign.

CONTENTS

MAURINE
PART I.
PART II.
PART III.
PART IV.
PART V.
PART VI.
PART VII.

TWO SUNSETS.
UNREST.
"ARTIST'S LIFE."
NOTHING BUT STONES.
THE COQUETTE.
INEVITABLE.
THE OCEAN OF SONG.
"IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN."
IF.
GETHSEMANE.
DUST‑SEALED.
"ADVICE."
OVER THE BANISTERS.
MOMUS, GOD OF LAUGHTER.
I DREAM.
THE PAST.
THE SONNET.
SECRETS.
A DREAM.
USELESSNESS.
WILL.
WINTER RAIN.
APPLAUSE.
LIFE.
BURDENED.
THE STORY.
LET THEM GO.
THE ENGINE.
NOTHING NEW.
DREAMS.
HELENA.
NOTHING REMAINS.
LEAN DOWN.
COMRADES.
WHAT GAIN?
LIFE.
TO THE WEST.
THE LAND OF CONTENT.
A SONG OF LIFE.
WARNING.
THE CHRISTIAN'S NEW YEAR PRAYER.
IN THE NIGHT.
GOD'S MEASURE.
A MARCH SNOW.
AFTER THE BATTLES ARE OVER.
NOBLESSE OBLIGE.
AND THEY ARE DUMB.
NIGHT.
ALL FOR ME.
PHILOSOPHY.
"CARLOS."
THE TWO GLASSES.
THROUGH TEARS.
INTO SPACE.
THROUGH DIM EYES.
LA MORT D'AMOUR.
THE PUNISHED.
HALF FLEDGED.
LOVE'S SLEEP.
TRUE CULTURE.
THE VOLUPTUARY.
THE YEAR.
THE UNATTAINED.
IN THE CROWD.
LIFE AND I.
GUERDON.
SNOWED UNDER.
PLATONIC.
WHAT WE NEEDED.
"LEUDEMANN'S‑ON‑THE‑RIVER."
IN THE LONG RUN.
PLEA TO SCIENCE.
LOVE'S BURIAL.
LITTLE BLUE HOOD.
NO