Harriet Monroe

From “Notes of Travel”

MY mountains, God has company in heaven—

Crowned saints who sing to him the sun-long day.

He has no need of speech with you—with you,

Dust of his foot-stool! No, but I have need.

Oh, speak to me, for you are mine as well—

Drift of my soul. I built you long ago;

I reared your granite masonry to make

My house of peace, and spread your flowered carpets,

And set your blue-tiled roof, and in your courts

Made musical fountains play. Ah, give me now

Shelter and sustenance and liberty,

That I may mount your sky-assailing towers

And hear the winds communing, and give heed

To the large march of stars, and enter in

The spirit-crowded courts of solitude.