Tabb’s Poetry XXV

Song of the Morning-Glories

We wedded each a star—
   A warrior true,
That plighted faith afar
   In drops of dew.

But comes the cruel Dawn;
   The dew is dry;
And we, our lovers gone,
   Lamenting, die. 

Fog

The ghost am I
Of winds that die
   Alike on land or sea,
In silence deep
To shroud and keep
   Their mournful memory.

A spirit white
I stalk the night,
   Or, shadowing the skies,
Forbid the sun
To look upon
   My noonday mysteries. 

All in All

         One heaven above;
      But many a heaven below
         The dewdrops show—
         God’s tenderness
Subdued in every teardrop to express
         The whole of love.
 
To a Rose

   Thou hast not toiled, sweet Rose,
      Yet needest rest;
   Softly thy petals close
      Upon thy breast,
Like folded hands, of labor long oppressed.

   Naught knowest thou of sin,
      Yet tears are thine;
   Baptismal drops within
      Thy chalice shine,
At morning’s birth, at evening’s calm decline.

   Alas! one day hath told
      The tale to thee!
   Thy tender leaves enfold
      Life’s mystery:
Its shadow falls alike on thee and me! 

Moon-Flowers

The summer night remembers
   The morning glories slain,
And from the twilight embers
   Recalls their ghosts again.

John B. Tabb

For a recitation, click the play button:

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“Song of the Morning-Glories”: Lyrics, p. 107; Poetry, p. 17. 1897. Morning Glories are flowering plants (family Convolvulaceae) whose blossoms usually last for only one morning, new blossoms opening each day. Plighted means pledged or promised solemnly, especially a promise to wed.

“Fog”: Later Poems, p. 56; Poetry, p. 59. March 1903.

“All in All”: Lyrics, p. 59; Poetry, p. 135. April 1895.

“To a Rose”: Poems, p. 64; Poetry, p. 7. 1894. The Rose is a common, widely-cultivated perennial flowering shrub (genus Rosa). Naught means nothing.

“Moon-Flowers”: Later Lyrics, p. 84; Poetry, p. 327. November 1898. Moon flowers are flowering plants (genus Datura) that typically bloom at night; many of the species have white flowers. Morning Glories are flowering plants (family Convolvulaceae) whose blossoms usually last for only one morning, new blossoms opening each day.