The Savannah Morning News

My Springs.
In the hearts of the Hills of Life I know
Two springs that with unbroken flow
Forever pour their lucent streams
Into my soul's far Lake of Dreams.
Not larger than two eyes, they lie
Beneath the many changing sky,
And mirror all of life and time,
Serene and dainty pantomime.
Shot through with lights of stars and dawns,
And shadowed sweet by ferns and fawns,
Thus heaven and earth together vie
Their shining depths to sanctify.
O Love. O Wife. thine eyes are they.
My spring from out whose shining gray
Issue the sweet celestial streams
That feed my life's bright Lake of Dreams.
Oval and large and passion-pure,
And gray and wise and honor-sure;
Soft as a dying violet breath
Yet calmly unafraid of death.
Thronged like two dovecotes of gray doves,
With wife's and mother's and poor-folk's loves.
And home-loves and high glory loves,
And science-loves and story loves.
And love for all that God and man
In art and nature make or plan,
And lady-loves for spidery lace,
And broideries and supple grace.
And diamonds and the whole sweet round
Of littles that large life compound.
And love for God and God's bare truth,
And loves for Magdalen and Ruth.
Dear eyes, dear eyes, and rare complete-
Being heavenly sweet and earthly sweet-
I marvel that God made you mine.
For when He frowns 'tis when ye shine!
-Sydney Lanier.