[Illustration:

                                  TWO

                                  IN

                                ARCADIA

                                  BY


                             LUCINE FINCH

                               BRENTANOS
                               NEW YORK
                                MCMVII]


                   _Copyright, 1907, by Brentano’s_

                    [Illustration: TWO IN ARCADIA.]




VORSPIEL

(_Wild Geese_)


    Geese and Lovers,
    Lovers and Geese!
    Sometimes a quarrel
    And sometimes--peace.

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    Come over the sea to me, to me,
      Come over the sea to me!
    The little ships go sailing by,
      But never a ship brings thee!

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    There were no words, if I remember,
    But something subtler, deeper, Love.
    The night it was a cold December
    With a shiv’ry, silver moon above--
    But in our hearts--the flame of love!

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    The moon, the moon and a wide, blue sea,
    A boat, a breeze, and you and me!

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    Every night is our night.
    But when the moon is high,
    I think the _world_ belongs to us,
    The earth, the sea, the sky!

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    There are snow peaks in your heart,
    And a grayness that is cold.
    But wisdom comes with loving, sweet,
    And all your moods my love can meet--
    Because my love is bold!

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    Into the night we went, we two,
      Under the comfort of the moon.
    The sky was pale and the poplar-trees
        Swayed in the wind,
        Swayed and swung.
      And the dear night passed too soon!

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      In the twilight
            We parted,
      In the night,
            Broken-hearted,
    We dreamed a sweet dream.
    Then we met and we parted
    Again, broken-hearted.
    But--dreams come again!

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    Over the meadows--
      To go! To go!
    Just You and Me--
      In the afterglow!

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    The moon is the lovers’ lantern.
      With paths of palest gold
    She lights the lovers’ night way.
      The moon--is never old!

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ON PASSING HER WINDOW


    Through the midnight my soul comes winging,
    In the darkness my heart is singing.
    All my soul to your soul I am flinging!
    And I’m singing to draw you to me,
                    All to me!
                To draw you to me!

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HER REPLY


    Out of the midnight
    I hear you singing!
    O, my Beloved, I hear you singing,
    And, though I silent must lie,
    My heart sings with your heart,
    My heart sings with yours!

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    Spring in the hills, Beloved!
    On the side of a meadowed slope!
    And love in our hearts, Beloved,
    Love and Spring and Hope!

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    The sun is like a world of fire
        And I am like the sun!
    I shall burn through all the dreary worlds
        Until my flame is done.
          O, Heart’s Desire!
          My fire, my fire
        Shall burn for only one!

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    The sun is the flame of the desert,
    And you are the flame of my heart!
    Dreary indeed is the desert unsunned,
    And dreary without you, my heart.

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    Oh, the poor, pale moon, Beloved!
    She paled when you left me here.
    Come back to us, to the moon and me.
    The moon understands us, dear.

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    Oh, the glow of the sun
    And the red of the lake
    And the shade of the bending tree!
    Oh, the sound of the waves
    And the sight of a sail!
    Oh, the song in my heart for thee!

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    I hear the sea call to the moon,
    I hear the moon murm’ring as she sails,
            "I cannot fail thee,
            Why dost thou fear me?"

    I hear the wind sing to the pine-tree,
    I hear the pine-tree whisp’ring as she sways,
            "I cannot fail thee,
            Why dost thou fear me?"

    I hear my heart cry to your heart,
    I hear your heart beating ’gainst my own,
            "I cannot fail thee,
            Why dost thou fear me?"

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    You are so dear, so dear,
    That all things else seem dear,
    The wonder of our loving
    Has made all else seem dear!

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    Under the moon in the garden
      The pale lilies sleep and sway.
    And thou, dear white flower-woman,
      Sleep thou until the day!

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