The Song and the Star

I picked up a tattered, old little book of poems by Clara Webber last year at a book fair. Out of curiosity I did an internet search but I didn’t come up with much information. The book is called Flotsam and Jetsam and it was published in 1905. The themes of her poems are Love, Philosophy, Life, Seasons, Regret, Friendship and Poetry. This is one of her works:

 The Song and the Star
(For Music)

                                              There’s a song for all the ages,
                                                                                         Sung for me,
                                              To a stately measured music,
                                                                                         Solemnly.
                                              Thro’ deep silences that quiver -
                                              Golden sunlight in the river -
                                              I can hear its message stealing,
                                              Life’s deep inner life revealing:
                                              Now it holds me so – and holds me,
                                              Its deep glory now enfolds me
                                              Till I faint with its rich ecstasy
                                                              The sweetness of the song.

                                              There’s a star in yonder heavens
                                                                                          Far too high
                                              To reach down: Earth’s so low.
                                                                                           You and I
                                              Will have grown too sad and weary
                                              With earth noises long and dreary.
                                               Thro’ deep silences that quiver -
                                              - Length’ning shade on shining river -
                                               I can hear its death-note ringing
                                              Thro’ the shadow round us clinging
                                                                                           You and I

                                              Love, the shadow on the river,
                                              Will grow bright in the “Forever,”
                                              And the song that you are singing,
                                              Will grow sweeter in the ringing,
                                              When the thread of life is wasted,
                                               And the bitter herb all tasted -
                                                                          In the Life that is to be !

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