Higginson and Bigelow, comps. American Sonnets. 1891.
OasisHéloïse Durant
A
Sees distant haven in a speck of green,
Knowing what cooling springs those branches screen,
Hastes laggard feet until he gladly stands
Within the palm’s sweet shade, while eager hands
Seek welcome streams, amid the restful scene
His drooping heart revives. (What if between
This spot and home lie tracks of desert lands?
The present joy is his to take and keep.)
So in our wandering o’er the sands of Time,
When wearied, sick at heart, we blindly weep,
A tender word, a smile, sweet strain, pure rhyme,
Will give us blessed rest awhile, and let
Our souls for once their bitterness forget.