,this ebook was created in honour of ,distributed ,proofreaders' #beth ,anniversary4 ,wings of ,silver ,,by ,evelyn ,gage ,browne ,illustration3 ,publisher's ,colophon ,,published ,,by ,,the ,,arpodene ,,studio ,,pittsfield1 ,,mass4 ,,copyrighted #aiah1 ,,by ,,evelyn ,,gage ,,browne ,,contents ,,wings ,,birds ,,of ,,passage ,,omnipresence ,,faith ,,the ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,stars ,,life ,,and ,i ,,the ,,weavers ,,the ,,open ,,door ,,the ,,web ,,of ,,dreams ,,flight ,,victory ,,invocation ,,to ,,the ,,sky ,,wings ,i live in every sentient thing4 ,aye1 what am ,i8-- ,the force that stirs the bird to sing1 ,and bids it fly2 ,the urge within the grey cocoon ,to swell1 and rend ,the prison-walls2 the ceaseless croon1-- 8,life hath no end60 ,the pulse within the seed that breaks ,the shrivelled shell2 ,the thrill in bud1 till bloom awakes2 ,the clarion bell ,that calls the soul of ,man to rise2 ,the power that flings ,off shackles of the flesh1 and cries1-- 8,behold thy wings60 ,,birds ,,of ,,passage ,from the ,north where the snows come sweeping1 ,to the ,south where poppies glow2 ,thy changeless course thou'rt keeping1 ,unswerved by winds that blow4 ,from the ,south to the ,north aquiver ,with awakened life1 thou dost wing ,thy flight over plain and river1-- ,at the whispered call of ,spring4 ,with unwavering purpose thou hiest1 ,untiring1 through leagues of air2 ,ne'er doubting thy wings1 thou fliest1 ,content--for thou knowest where4 ,blest birds of passage1 oh1 teach me3-- ,life's soft inner call to obey1 ,to turn where death's blight cannot reach me1 ,and keep to my course each day2 ,to press on1 nor faint--never drifting2 ,trusting my invincible soul1-- ,the wings that1 unfailing1 are lifting2-- ,at peace with ,life--knowing my goal4 ,,omnipresence ,borne on the air by surging wings1-- ,above1 below1 about1 around1-- ,up1 up he soars and blithely sings2 ,nor fears the ground4 ,covered by waters1 'neath1 above1 ,he lives and knows the sea as all2 ,nor doubts he of the deeps of ,love1 ,nor fears to fall4 ,compassed by ,love1 man lives and basks ,in sunshine blest2 but sleeps a clod1 ,and breathes ,him1 dwells in ,him--yet asks3-- ,where1 where is ,god8 ,,faith ,drop by drop that never ceasing falls1 ,water wears its way through granite walls2 ,thought by thought that1 conscious of its power1 ,goes forth from the heart each day1 each hour1-- ,love shall conquer every hate-born breath1 ,life ,eternal triumph over death4 ,step by step that ever tends to rise1 ,man shall scale the heights of ,paradise2 ,prayer by prayer that knows all might is given1 ,man shall win through fleshly bars--to ,heaven4 ,,the ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,stars ,on1 on we roll through trackless space ,while centuries sweep by1 ,each in our own appointed place ,in ,god's eternal sky4 ,immortal ,man1 sleep-bound on earth1 ,the ,mind that guides us gave thee birth4 ,obey in awe ,life's changeless law6 ,the ,hand that holds us in our course1-- ,omnipotent1 ,divine1 ,omniscient ,love1 ,life's only source1-- ,created thee sublime4 ,the stars shall fade and cease to be2 ,but ,man reflects ,infinity4 ,through space afar1 ,star echoes star3-- ,o ,quenchless ,flame1 ,to thee we bow4 ,awake1 ,man6 ,claim ,thy birthright now2 ,life calls thy name1-- ,god's image thou6 ,fore'er we sing ,as on we roll1 ,of ,life the ,king1-- ,man's deathless soul4 ,eternal harmony is thine2 ,obey ,god's law--arise1 and shine6 ,,life ,,and ,i ,life came to me at ,morning2 7,and oh1 his eyes were kind67 ,with flowers my head adorning2 ,but ,i was blind4 ,with tender care he laid me ,in ,love's uplifted arms1 ,that gently held and stayed me ,through all alarms4 ,we quarreled--,life and ,i--one day1 ,because he took the arms away1-- ,yet then it was ,i learned to pray4 ,life came to me at ,nooning1 ,and scattered roses red2 ,but when soft winds blew crooning1 ,they all lay dead4 ,with tears and wild upbraiding1 ,i railed at ,life and ,fate1 ,nor saw the blooms unfading-- ,beside my gate4 ,we walked estranged then--,life and ,i-- ,because he let the roses die2 ,nor wot ,i of the bending sky4 ,life came to me at ,gloaming 7,and oh1 his eyes were blest67 ,i knew 'twas time for homing1 ,for peace and rest4 ,i took his hand outreaching1 ,and drew a raptured breath2 ,when lo--his smile beseeching-- ,i saw--'twas death4 ,so ,life and ,i are winging free1 ,reclothed--with ,immortality2 ,i loving ,life1 ,life loving me4 ,,the ,,weavers ,ruthlessly a weaver's hands ,seized life's silken threads and fair1 ,rent1 defiled the spotless strands1-- ,wove a texture of ,despair4 ,men then cursed and called it ,fate2 ,but the weaver's name was--,hate4 ,prayerfully a weaver toiled1-- ,seeing only what ,god meant1-- ,and from ends all frayed and soiled1 ,wove a fabric of ,content4 ,hearts were lifted then above2 ,for the weaver's name was--,love4 ,,the ,,open ,,door ,if so it be that through my open gate ,some thief shall enter and despoil in hate1 ,shall quench the fire upon my hearth of trust1 ,leave but dead ashes and a barren crust2 ,still shall ,i say 'twere better far that ,i ,left open1 free1 my windows to the sky2 ,that my door stood ajar by night and day1 ,my gate outflung to ,angels by the way4 ,for oh1 one morn before my leaping fire1 ,i met the eyes of ,truth1 and list the lyre ,across whose strings the hands of ,seraphs swept1 ,the while my heart its ,heavenly music kept4 ,and often have ,i bound with tender care ,the thorn-rent feet of strayed ones1 pausing where ,my door stood wide--a refuge from the night2 ,and sent them singing1 to ascend the height4 ,let enter then who will1 my heart stands open wide2 ,i've thrown away the key1 nor fear what may betide4 ,i could not bear to think one sought me with a prayer ,in vain1--that ,hope should sadly turn away--,despair4 ,so would ,i ope my door1 e'en though some fiend might slay1-- ,lest ,truth should find it barred1 or ,love be turned away4 ,,the ,,web ,,of ,,dreams ,he wove1 and a ,web of ,dreams unrolled1-- ,the warp was ,fame and the woof was ,gold4 ,oh1 the joy he spent1 ,and the hearts he rent1 ,as he wove his fabric of ,discontent1 ,and it fell at his feet soiled fold on fold6 ,for the threads were frail and tangled and frayed1 ,as he wove of ,self and the things that fade4 ,oh1 the tears he shed ,as his years lay dead1 ,and he spurned with hate each tattered shred ,of the worthless web his hands had made6 ,but the ,master ,weaver heard his prayer1 ,and plied the shuttle with wondrous care4 ,oh1 the threads that flew1 ,and the fabric new1-- ,the warp was ,love and the woof ,love too1-- ,that came from the loom1 so strong and fair6 ,then the weaver of dreams awoke--and knew2 ,and with lifted soul he strove anew4 ,oh1 the joy he found1 ,and the hearts he crowned1 ,as the shuttle sped and the reels unwound2-- ,for he wove of ,love and each thread held true6 ,,flight ,i would sing in the face of fears1 ,when about my feet they throng2 ,i would pass them by with a heart that drips ,a hymn of joy from my eager lips2 ,for fear cannot live for long-- ,with song6 ,i would lift my eyes to the stars1 ,though my path be laid through mire2 ,and looking up to the ,heavenly doors1 ,my feet shall follow my soul that soars ,up1 up--ever high and higher-- ,nor tire6 ,i would open my windows wide1-- ,when caged seems this heart of mine1-- ,to the sun and sky and ,heaven's wind sweeping through1 ,that my soul shall rise till ,i breast the blue1 ,and the freedom of ,life ,divine-- ,is mine6 ,,victory ,i have fought2 but what honor in fighting8-- ,there are many who win2 ,the beasts do as much1 even righting ,a wrong that has been4 ,yet ,i rise 'bove the warfare1 and clinging ,to ,love 'midst the fray1 ,bring out of it all a soul singing1 ,a heart that can pray4 ,i have toiled2 but why laud for my toiling8-- ,there are legions who slave1 ,hearts calloused1 souls dulled by the moiling ,from cradle to grave4 ,yet while wearied with burdens1 ,i'm faring ,afar--soul awing1 ,till my freed spirit soars1 and is wearing ,the freshness of ,spring4 ,i have dwelt in the darkness of sorrow2 ,pity not1--neither praise ,because ,i endured3 recks the morrow ,of dead yesterdays8 ,full many weep1 seeing no glimmer ,of ,light to be born2 ,but ,i smile through the tear-drops that shimmer ,with promise of morn4 ,so extol me not for my burden1 ,my striving1 nor pain2 ,remember not these1--but the guerdon ,i strove to attain2 ,that ,i fought1 when needs must1--yet believing ,in ,love as man's goal1 ,and kept sweet 'neath the lash1 that is leaving ,no scar on my soul4 ,,invocation ,,to ,,the ,,sky ,o ,infinite ,sky1 set my longing ,adrift on thy turquoise tide1 ,till earth's sordid desires that are thronging1 ,are lost in ,love's ocean wide4 ,wash me white with thy cleansing showers1 ,purge my heart with ,heaven's healing dew1 ,till ,i come forth pure as the flowers1 ,new-risen in ,love--and true4 ,o'erflow my starved soul with thy beauty1-- ,fair amber and amethyst ,west1-- ,till ,i quaff from the goblet of duty1 ,love's nectar1 immortal and blest4 ,break each finite fetter of sorrow1 ,let me weep on ,love's bosom wide ,where a dawn awaiteth each morrow1 ,and earth's every tear is dried4 ,hold me close in thy silence1 folding ,my hurt heart there on the breast ,of ,infinity1 tenderly molding ,my pain to a prayer--and rest4 ,still all of my tired heart's yearning ,in thy unfathomed spaces of blue1 ,lift me up to thy stars calm-burning1 ,enkindle my spirit anew4 ,illume and exalt me1 thou tender ,illimitable ,sky bending o'er1 ,till ,i lose my dark thoughts in thy splendor1 ,and finding my soul-pinions--soar4 ,loose earth-bonds that seem to enthrall me1 ,let me mount in thy measureless dome1 ,attuned to ,love's voices that call me-- 8,soul1 free and untrammeled1 come home60 ,let me drift through thy starshine1 pillowed ,on violet velvet shade1 ,where the downy cloudlets lie billowed1 ,at peace in ,love's arms--unafraid4 ,let me float with thy clouds1 soft-sailing1-- ,as buoyant and glad as they1-- ,through thy sapphire sea that's unveiling ,the grace of a golden day4 ,dear ,sky1 love me6 ,fill my appealing ,with ,love that's eternal--like thee2 ,till ,i sing and rejoice in its healing1 ,and rise in ,god's blue--set free6 ,transcriber's ,note ,small caps converted to ,,all ,,caps4 ,table of contents added by the transcriber for reader convenience4