Our Romeo’s flippant emotion Grows pale as the summer grows old; Our Juliet proves her devotion By clasping--a cup filled with gold. Vain Anthony boasts of his favors From fair Cleopatra the frail, And the death of the sorceress savors Less of asps than of ale. With the march of bold civilization, Great loves and great faiths are down-trod, They belonged to an era and nation All fresh with the imprint of God. High culture emasculates feeling, The over-taught brain robs the heart, And the shrine now where mortals are kneeling Is a commonplace mart. Our effeminate fathers and brothers Keep carefully out of life’s storm, From the ladylike minds of our mothers We are taught that to feel is “bad form.” Our worshipers now and our lovers Are calmly devout with their brains, And we laugh at the man who discovers Warm blood in his veins. But you, O twin souls, passion-mated, Who love as the gods loved of old, What blundering destiny fated Your lives to be cast in this mold? Like a lurid volcanic upheaval, In pastures prosaic and gray, You seem with your fervors primeval, Among us to-day. You dropped from some planet of splendor, Perhaps as it circled afar, And your constancy, swerveless and tender, You learned from the course of that star. Fly back to its bosom, I warn you-- As back to the ark flew the dove-- The minions of earth will but scorn you, Because you can love. THE SEA-BREEZE AND THE SCARF. Hung on the casement that looked o’er the main, Fluttered a scarf of blue; And a gay, bold breeze paused to flatter and tease This trifle of delicate hue. “You are lovelier far than the proud skies are,” He said with a voice that sighed; “You are fairer to me than the beautiful sea, Oh, why do you stay here and hide? “You are wasting your life in that dull, dark room (And he fondled her silken folds), O’er the casement lean but a little, my Queen, And see what the great world holds. How the wonderful blue of your matchless hue, Cheapens both sea and sky-- You are far too bright to be hidden from sight, Come, fly with me, darling--fly.” Tender his whisper and sweet his caress, Flattered and pleased was she, The arms of her lover lifted her over The casement out to sea. Close to his breast she was fondly pressed, Kissed once by his laughing mouth; Then dropped to her grave in the cruel wave While the wind went whistling south. THREE AND ONE.