SUICIDE'S STONE

BY ROBINSON JEFFERS

Peace is the heir of dead desire,

Whether abundance killed the cormorant
In a happy hour, or sleep or death
Drowned him deep in dreamy waters,
Peace is the ashes of that fire,

The heir of that king, the inn of that journey.

This last and best and goal: we dead
Hold it so tight you are envious of us
And fear under sunk lids contempt.
Death-day greetings are the sweetest.
Let trumpets roar when a man dies
And rockets fly up, he has found his fortune.

Yet hungering long and pitiably

That way, you shall not reach a finger
To pluck it unripe and before dark

Creep to cover: life broke ten whipstocks

Over my back, broke faith, stole hope,
Before I denounced the covenant of courage.

THE SOLDIER

BY SOPHIE JEwett

"Non vi si pensa quanto sangue costa.”

PARADISO XXIX. 91.

The soldier fought his battle silently.

Not his the strife that stays for set of sun;

It seemed this warfare never might be done;
Through glaring day and blinding night fought he.
There came no hand to help, no eye to see;
No herald's voice proclaimed the fight begun;
No trumpet, when the bitter field was won,
Sounded abroad the soldier's victory.
As if the struggle had been light, he went,
Gladly, life's common road a little space;
Nor any knew how his heart's blood was spent;
Yet there were some who after testified

They saw a glory grow upon his face;
And all men praised the soldier when he died.

From TO HOMER

BY JOHN KEATS

Aye, on the shores of darkness there is light,
And precipices show untrodden green;
There is a budding morrow in mid-night;
There is a triple sight in blindness keen.

HIS ALLY

BY WILLIAM ROSE BENÉT

He fought for his soul, and the stubborn fighting Tried hard his strength.

"One needs seven souls for this long requiting," He said at length.

"Six times I come where my first hope jeered me And laughed me to scorn;

But now I fear as I never feared me
To fall forlorn.

"God! when they fight upright and at me
I give them back

Even such blows as theirs that combat me;
But now, alack!

"They fight with the wiles of fiends escaping
And underhand.

Six times, O God, and my wounds are gaping!
I-reel to stand.

"Six battles' span! By this gasping breath, No pantomime.

'Tis all that I can. I am sick unto death. And a seventh time?

"This is beyond all battles' soreness!"
Then his wonder cried:

For Laughter, with shield and steely harness,
Stood up at his side!

COURAGE

BY KARLE WILSON BAKER

Courage is armor

A blind man wears;
The calloused scar

Of outlived despairs:
Courage is Fear

That has said its prayers.

UNVANQUISHED

BY GRACE HOFFMANN WHITE

Ravaged of faith I fled,
Beat life to a blade,

Cut from my stiffened body
Love's enticing coils-
Unvanquished-unafraid . . .

FOR THOSE WHO FAIL

BY JOAQUIN MILLER

"All honour to him who shall win the prize,”
The world has cried for a thousand years;
But to him who tries and who fails and dies,
I give great honour and glory and tears.

O great is the hero who wins a name,
But greater many and many a time
Some pale-faced fellow who dies in shame,
And lets God finish the thought sublime.

And great is the man with a sword undrawn,
And good is the man who refrains from wine;
But the man who fails and yet fights on,
Lo he is the twin-born brother of mine!

THE OLD STOIC

BY EMILY BRONTË

Riches I hold in light esteem,
And Love I laugh to scorn;
And lust of fame was but a dream
That vanish'd with the morn;

And if I pray, the only prayer
That moves my lips for me

Is, "Leave the heart that now I bear,
And give me liberty!"

Yes, as my swift days near their goal,
'Tis all that I implore:

In life and death a chainless soul,
With courage to endure.

PSALM XXIII

BY DAVID

The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness For his name's sake.