Dreams　&　Dust
  by　Don　Marquis
  TO
  MY　MOTHER
  VIRGINIA　WHITMORE　MARQUIS
  CONTENTS
  PROEM
  DAYLIGHT　HUMORS
  THIS　IS　ANOTHER　DAY
  APRIL　SONG
  THE　EARTH；　IT　IS　ALSO　A　STAR
  THE　NAME
  THE　BIRTH
  A　MOOD　OF　PAVLOWA
  THE　POOL
  〃THEY　HAD　NO　POET〃
  NEW　YORK
  A　HYMN
  THE　SINGER
  WORDS　ARE　NOT　GUNS
  WITH　THE　SUBMARINES
  NICHOLAS　OF　MONTENEGRO
  DICKENS
  A　POLITICIAN
  THE　BAYONET
  THE　BUTCHERS　AT　PRAYER
  SHADOWS
  HAUNTED
  A　NIGHTMARE
  THE　MOTHER
  IN　THE　BAYOU
  THE　SAILOR'S　WIFE　SPEAKS
  HUNTED
  A　DREAM　CHILD
  ACROSS　THE　NIGHT
  SEA　CHANGES
  THE　TAVERN　OF　DESPAIR
  COLORS　AND　SURFACES
  A　GOLDEN　LAD
  THE　SAGE　AND　THE　WOMAN
  NEWS　FROM　BABYLON
  A　RHYME　OF　THE　ROADS
  THE　LAND　OF　YESTERDAY
  OCTOBER
  CHANT　OF　THE　CHANGING　HOURS
  DREAMS　AND　DUST
  SELVES
  THE　WAGES
  IN　MARS；　WHAT　AVATAR？
  THE　GOD…MAKER；　MAN
  UNREST
  THE　PILTDOWN　SKULL
  THE　SEEKER
  THE　AWAKENING
  A　SONG　OF　MEN
  THE　NOBLER　LESSON
  AT　LAST
  LYRICS
  〃KING　PANDION；　HE　IS　DEAD〃
  DAVID　TO　BATHSHEBA
  THE　JESTERS
  〃MARY；　MARY；　QUITE　CONTRARY〃
  THE　TRIOLET
  FROM　THE　BRIDGE
  〃PALADINS；　PALADINS；　YOUTH　NOBLE…HEARTED〃
  〃MY　LANDS；　NOT　THINE〃
  TO　A　DANCING　DOLL
  LOWER　NEW　YORKA　STORM
  AT　SUNSET
  A　CHRISTMAS　GIFT
  SILVIA
  THE　EXPLORERS
  EARLY　AUTUMN
  〃TIME　STEALS　FROM　LOVE〃
  THE　RONDEAU
  VISITORS
  THE　PARTING
  AN　OPEN　FIRE
  REALITIES
  REALITIES
  THE　STRUGGLE
  THE　REBEL
  THE　CHILD　AND　THE　MILL
  〃SIC　TRANSIT　GLORIA　MUNDI〃
  THE　COMRADE
  ENVOI
  PROEM
  〃SO　LET　THEM　PASS；　THESE　SONGS　OF　MINE〃
  So　let　them　pass；　these　songs　of　mine；
  Into　oblivion；　nor　repine；
  Abandoned　ruins　of　large　schemes；
  Dimmed　lights　adrift　from　nobler　dreams；
  Weak　wings　I　sped　on　quests　divine；
  So　let　them　pass；　these　songs　of　mine。
  They　soar；　or　sink　ephemeral
  I　care　not　greatly　which　befall！
  For　if　no　song　I　e'er　had　wrought；
  Still　have　I　loved　and　laughed　and　fought；
  So　let　them　pass；　these　songs　of　mine；
  I　sting　too　hot　with　life　to　whine！
  Still　shall　I　struggle；　fail；　aspire；
  Lose　God；　and　find　Gods　in　the　mire；
  And　drink　dream…deep　life's　heady　wine
  So　let　them　pass；　these　songs　of　mine。
  DAYLIGHT　HUMORS
  THIS　IS　ANOTHER　DAY
  I　AM　mine　own　priest；　and　I　shrive　myself
  Of　all　my　wasted　yesterdays。　　Though　sin
  And　sloth　and　foolishness；　and　all　ill　weeds
  Of　error；　evil；　and　neglect　grow　rank
  And　ugly　there；　I　dare　forgive　myself
  That　error；　sin；　and　sloth　and　foolishness。
  God　knows　that　yesterday　I　played　the　fool；
  God　knows　that　yesterday　I　played　the　knave；
  But　shall　I　therefore　cloud　this　new　dawn　o'er
  With　fog　of　futile　sighs　and　vain　regrets？
  This　is　another　day！　　And　flushed　Hope　walks
  Adown　the　sunward　slopes　with　golden　shoon。
  This　is　another　day；　and　its　young　strength
  Is　laid　upon　the　quivering　hills　until；
  Like　Egypt's　Memnon；　they　grow　quick　with　song。
  This　is　another　day；　and　the　bold　world
  Leaps　up　and　grasps　its　light；　and　laughs；　as　leapt
  Prometheus　up　and　wrenched　the　fire　from　Zeus。
  This　is　another　dayare　its　eyes　blurred
  With　maudlin　grief　for　any　wasted　past？
  A　thousand　thousand　failures　shall　not　daunt！
  Let　dust　clasp　dust；　death；　deathI　am　alive！
  And　out　of　all　the　dust　and　death　of　mine
  Old　selves　I　dare　to　lift　a　singing　heart
  And　living　faith；　my　spirit　dares　drink　deep
  Of　the　red　mirth　mantling　in　the　cup　of　morn。
  APRIL　SONG
  FLEET　across　the　grasses
  Flash　the　feet　of　Spring；
  Piping；　as　he　passes
  Fleet　across　the　grasses；
  〃Follow；　lads　and　lasses！
  Sing；　world；　sing！〃
  Fleet　across　the　grasses
  Flash　the　feet　of　Spring！
  Idle　winds　deliver
  Rumors　through　the　town；
  Tales　of　reeds　that　quiver；
  Idle　winds　deliver；
  Where　the　rapid　river
  Drags　the　willows　down
  Idle　winds　deliver
  Rumors　through　the　town。
  In　the　country　places
  By　the　silver　brooks
  April　airs　her　graces；
  In　the　country　places
  Wayward　April　paces；
  Laughter　in　her　looks；
  In　the　country　places
  By　the　silver　brooks。
  Hints　of　alien　glamor
  Even　reach　the　town；
  Urban　muses　stammer
  Hints　of　alien　glamor；
  But　the　city's　clamor
  Beats　the　voices　down；
  Hints　of　alien　glamor
  Even　reach　the　town。
  THIS　EARTH；　IT　IS　ALSO　A　STAR
  WHERE　the　singers　of　Saturn　find　tongue；
  Where　the　Galaxy's　lovers　embrace；
  Our　world　and　its　beauty　are　sung！
  They　lean　from　their　casements　to　trace
  If　our　planet　still　spins　in　its　place；
  Faith　fables　the　thing　that　we　are；
  And　Fantasy　laughs　and　gives　chase：
  This　earth；　it　is　also　a　star！
  Round　the　sun；　that　is　fixed；　and　hung
  For　a　lamp　in　the　darkness　of　space
  We　are　whirled；　we　are　swirled；　we　are　flung；
  Singing　and　shining　we　race
  And　our　light　on　the　uplifted　face
  Of　dreamer　or　prophet　afar
  May　fall　as　a　symbol　of　grace：
  This　earth；　it　is　also　a　star！
  Looking　out　where　our　planet　is　swung
  Doubt　loses　his　writhen　grimace；
  Dry　hearts　drink　the　gleams　and　are　young；
  Where　agony's　boughs　interlace
  His　Garden　some　Jesus　may　pace；
  Lifting；　the　wan　avatar；
  His　soul　to　this　light　as　a　vase！
  This　earth；　it　is　also　a　star！
  Great　spirits　in　sorrowful　case
  Yearn　to　us　through　the　vapors　that　bar：
  Canst　think　of　that；　soul；　and　be　base？
  This　earth；　it　is　also　a　star！
  THE　NAME
  IT　shifts　and　shifts　from　form　to　form；
  It　drifts　and　darkles；　gleams　and　glows；
  It　is　the　passion　of　the　storm；
  The　poignance　of　the　rose；
  Through　changing　shapes；　through　devious
  ways；
  By　noon　or　night；　through　cloud　or　flame；
  My　heart　has　followed　all　my　days
  Something　I　cannot　name。
  In　sunlight　on　some　woman's　hair；
  Or　starlight　in　some　woman's　eyne；
  Or　in　low　laughter　smothered　where
  Her　red　lips　wedded　mine；
  My　heart　hath　known；　and　thrilled　to　know；
  This　unnamed　presence　that　it　sought；
  And　when　my　heart　hath　found　it　so；
  〃Love　is　the　name；〃　I　thought。
  Sometimes　when　sudden　afterglows
  In　futile　glory　storm　the　skies
  Within　their　transient　gold　and　rose
  The　secret　stirs　and　dies；
  Or　when　the　trampling　morn　walks　o'er
  The　troubled　seas；　with　feet　of　flame；
  My　awed　heart　whispers；　〃Ask　no　more；
  For　Beauty　is　the　name！〃
  Or　dreaming　in　old　chapels　where
  The　dim　aisles　pulse　with　murmurings
  That　part　are　music；　part　are　prayer
  （Or　rush　of　hidden　wings）
  Sometimes　I　lift　a　startled　head
  To　some　saint's　carven　countenance；
  Half　fancying　that　the　lips　have　said；
  All　names　mean　God；　perchance！〃
  THE　BIRTH
  THERE　is　a　legend　that　the　love　of　God
  So　quickened　under　Mary's　heart　it　wrought
  Her　very　maidenhood　to　holier　stuff。　。　。　。
  However　that　may　be；　the　birth　befell
  Upon　a　night　when　all　the　Syrian　stars
  Swayed　tremulous　before　one　lordlier　orb
  That　rose　in　gradual　splendor；
  Paused；
  Flooding　the　firmament　with　mystic　light；
  And　dropped　upon　the　breathing　hills
  A　sudden　music
  Like　a　distillation　from　its　gleams；
  A　rain　of　spirit　and　a　dew　of　song！
  A　MOOD　OF　PAVLOWA
  THE　soul　of　the　Spring　through　its　body　of　earth
  Bursts　in　a　bloom　of　fire；
  And　the　crocuses　come　in　a　rainbow　riot　of　mirth。。。。
  They　flutter；　they　burn；　they　take　wing；　they
  aspire。　。　。　。
  Wings；　motion　and　music　and　flame；
  Flower；　woman　and　laughter；　and　all　these　the
  same！
  She　is　light　and　first　love　and　the　youth　of　the
  world；
  She　is　sandaled　with　joy　。　。　。　she　is　lifted　and
  whirled；
  She　is　flung；　she　is　swirled；　she　is　driven　along
  By　the　carnival　winds　that　have　torn　her　away
  From　the　coronal　bloom　on　the　brow　of　the
  May。　。　。　。
  She　is　youth；　she　is　foam；　she　is　flame；　she　is
  visible　Song！
  THE　POOL
  REACH　over；　my　Undine；　and　clutch　me　a　reed
  Nymph　of　mine　idleness；　notch　me　a　pipe
  For　I　am　fulfilled　of　the　silence；　and　long
  For　to　utter　the　sense　of　the　silence　in　song。
  Down…stream　all　the　rapids　are　troubled　with　pebbles
  That　fetter　and　fret　what　the　water　would　utter；
  And　it　rushes　and　splashes　in　tremulous　trebles；
  It　makes　haste　through　the　shallows；　its　soul　is
  aflutter；
  But　here　all　the　sound　is　serene　and　outspread
  In　the　murmurous　moods　of　a　slow…swirling　pool；
  Here　all　the　sounds　are　unhurried　and　cool；
  Every　silence　is　kith　to　a　sound；　they　are　wed；
  They　are　mated；　are　mingled；　are　tangled；　are
  bound；
  Every　hush　is　in　love　with　a　sound；　every　sound
  By　the　law　of　its　life　to　some　silence　is　bound。
  Then　here　will　we　hide；　idle　here　and　abide；
  In　the　cover