Section: «Poems»
Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings:
artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.);
a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").
The Morning Paper
Carnage!Humanity disgraced!Time's dearest toil effaced!Poison gases and flamePutting Nero to shame!Bayonet, bomb and shell!Merry reading for hell!The..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Lighthouse
IN seas far north, day after dayWe leaned upon the rail, engrossedIn frolic fin and jewel sprayAnd crystal headlands of the coast.Those beauties held..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Titanic
As she sped from dawn to gloaming, a palace upon the sea,Did the waves from her proud bows foaming whisper what port should be?That her maiden voyage..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Pity Of It
I. In South AfricaOver the lonesome African plainThe stars look down, like eyes of the slain.A bumping ride across gullies and ruts,Now a grumble and..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Creed Of The Wood
A WHIFF of forest scent,Balsam and fern,Won from dreary moodMy heart's return,From its discontent,Joy's run-away,To the sweet, wise woodAnd the..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Shakespeare's Festival
WHILE we keep our Poet's Tercentennial,Every school and city with its emulousAntic or solemnity, what tremulousLaughter on the air! O Puck..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Starlight At Sea
OVER the murmurous choral of dim wavesThe constellations glow against the softEthereal dusk, —forever fair, aloft,Serene, while man climbs painfully..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The German-American
HONOR to him whose very blood remembersThe old, enchanted dream-song of the Rhine,Although his house of life. is fair with shineOf fires new-kindled..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The New Crusade
LIFE is a trifle;Honor is all;Shoulder the rifle;Answer the call.'A nation of traders'!We'll show what we are,Freedom's crusadersWho war against..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Perfect Day
GOD made a day of blue and gold,Sweet as a violet,As merry as a marigold;It may be shining yetIn some blest vale, some dreamy dellAmong the heavenly..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Our First Families
SWEET are the manners of the wood,Our only old society,Where all the folk are glad and goodIn unrebuked variety.Within this gentle commonwealNo envy..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Northward
THESE palms weave shadows of delight,But the truant heart flies forthTo birch-boles glistening more than whiteIn the forests of the North.
© Katharine Lee Bates
The First Bluebirds
THE poor earth was so winter-marred,Harried by storm so long,It seemed no spring could mend her,No tardy sunshine renderAtonement for such wrong.Snow..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Death Of Olaf Tryggvision
IBLUE as blossom of the myrtleSmiled the steadfast eyes of OlafOn the host of ships that harriedHis enraged, gold-glittering Dragon,Snared within..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Wings
GRAY gulls that wheeled and dipped and roseWhere tossing crests like Alpine snowsWould shimmer and entice;A stormy petrel, Judas soul,Dark wanderer..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Pigeon Post
White wing, white wing,Lily of the air,What word dost bring,On whose errand fare?Red word, red word,Snowy plumes abhor.I, Christ's own bird,Do the..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Night And Morning
THE night was loud with tumult; trees were tornSheer from their roots by the delirious wind;In some waste dreamland wandered all forlornA smitten..
© Katharine Lee Bates
White Moments
THE best of life, what is it but white moments?Those swift illuminations when we seeThe flying shadows on the fragrant meadowsAs God beholds them..
© Katharine Lee Bates
When The Millennium Comes
WHEN the Millennium comesOnly the kings will fight,While the princes beat the drums,And the queens in aprons white,Arnica bottle in hand,Watch their..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Red Cross Nurse
ONE summer day, gleaming in memory,We drove, my Joy and I,Through fragrant hawthorn lanesGold-fringed with wisps of ryeBrushed off the harvest..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Mother
'MOTHER! Mother!' he called as he fellIn the horror thereOf a bursting shellThat strewed red flesh on the air.Far away over sea and land:The knitting..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Soldiers To Pacifists
NOT ours to clamor shame on you,Nor fling a bitter blame on you,Nor brand a cruel name on you,That evil name of treason,You who have heard the ivory..
© Katharine Lee Bates
Robin’s Secret
’T IS the blithest, bonniest weather for a bird to flirt a feather,For a bird to trill and warble, all his wee red breast a-swell.I ’ve a secret. You..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Little Knight In Green
WHAT fragrant-footed comerIs stepping o’er my head?Behold, my queen! the Summer!Who deems her warriors dead.Now rise, ye knights of many fights,From..
© Katharine Lee Bates
The Presence Chamber
(Switzerland)BEHOLD a temple builded not by hands.Columns of mist, all shimmering with sun,Stream heavenward from the deep-cut vales that runBetween..
© Katharine Lee Bates