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To Jane Addams at the Hague
Two Poems； written on the Sinking of the Lusitania。
Appearing in the Chicago ‘Herald'； May 11； 1915。
I。 Speak Now for Peace
Lady of Light； and our best woman； and queen；
Stand now for peace； （though anger breaks your heart）；
Though naught but smoke and flame and drowning is seen。
Lady of Light； speak； though you speak alone；
Though your voice may seem as a dove's in this howling flood；
It is heard to…night by every senate and throne。
Though the widening battle of millions and millions of men
Threatens to…night to sweep the whole of the earth；
Back of the smoke is the promise of kindness again。
II。 Tolstoi Is Plowing Yet
Tolstoi is plowing yet。 When the smoke…clouds break；
High in the sky shines a field as wide as the world。
There he toils for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake。
Ah； he is taller than clouds of the little earth。
Only the congress of planets is over him；
And the arching path where new sweet stars have birth。
Wearing his peasant dress； his head bent low；
Tolstoi； that angel of Peace； is plowing yet；
Forward； across the field； his horses go。
The Tale of the Tiger Tree
A Fantasy； dedicated to the little poet Alice Oliver Henderson； ten years old。
The Fantasy shows how tiger…hearts are the cause of war in all ages。
It shows how the mammoth forces may be either friends or enemies
of the struggle for peace。 It shows how the dream of peace
is unconquerable and eternal。
I
Peace…of…the…Heart； my own for long；
Whose shining hair the May…winds fan；
Making it tangled as they can；
A mystery still； star…shining yet；
Through ancient ages known to me
And now once more reborn with me：
This is the tale of the Tiger Tree
A hundred times the height of a man；
Lord of the race since the world began。
This is my city Springfield；
My home on the breast of the plain。
The state house towers to heaven；
By an arsenal gray as the rain 。 。 。
And suddenly all is mist；
And I walk in a world apart；
In the forest…age when I first knelt down
At your feet； O Peace…of…the…Heart。
This is the wonder of twilight：
Three times as high as the dome
Tiger…striped trees encircle the town；
Golden geysers of foam。
While giant white parrots sail past in their pride。
The roofs now are clouds and storms that they ride。
And there with the huntsmen of mound…builder days
Through jungle and meadow I stride。
And the Tiger Tree leaf is falling around
As it fell when the world began：
Like a monstrous tiger…skin； stretched on the ground；
Or the cloak of a medicine man。
A deep…crumpled gossamer web；
Fringed with the fangs of a snake。
The wind swirls it down from the leperous boughs。
It shimmers on clay…hill and lake；
With the gleam of great bubbles of blood；
Or coiled like a rainbow shell。 。 。 。
I feast on the stem of the Leaf as I march。
I am burning with Heaven and Hell。
II
The gray king died in his hour。
Then we crowned you； the prophetess wise：
Peace…of…the…Heart we deeply adored
For the witchcraft hid in your eyes。
Gift from the sky； overmastering all；
You sent forth your magical parrots to call
The plot…hatching prince of the tigers；
To your throne by the red…clay wall。
Thus came that genius insane：
Spitting and slinking；
Sneering and vain；
He sprawled to your grassy throne； drunk on The Leaf；
The drug that was cunning and splendor and grief。
He had fled from the mammoth by day；
He had blasted the mammoth by night；
War was his drunkenness；
War was his dreaming；
War was his love and his play。
And he hissed at your heavenly glory
While his councillors snarled in delight；
Asking in irony： 〃What shall we learn
From this whisperer； fragile and white？〃
And had you not been an enchantress
They would not have loitered to mock
Nor spared your white parrots who walked by their paws
With bantering venturesome talk。
You made a white fire of The Leaf。
You sang while the tiger…chiefs hissed。
You chanted of 〃Peace to the wonderful world。〃
And they saw you in dazzling mist。
And their steps were no longer insane；
Kindness came down like the rain；
They dreamed that like fleet young ponies they feasted
On succulent grasses and grain。
。 。 。 。 。
Then came the black…mammoth chief：
Long…haired and shaggy and great；
Proud and sagacious he marshalled his court：
（You had sent him your parrots of state。）
His trunk in rebellion upcurled；
A curse at the tiger he hurled。
Huge elephants trumpeted there by his side；
And mastodon…chiefs of the world。
But higher magic began。
For the turbulent vassals of man。
You harnessed their fever； you conquered their ire；
Their hearts turned to flowers through holy desire；
For their darling and star you were crowned；
And their raging demons were bound。
You rode on the back of the yellow…streaked king；
His loose neck was wreathed with a mistletoe ring。
Primordial elephants loomed by your side；
And our clay…painted children danced by your path；
Chanting the death of the kingdoms of wrath。
You wrought until night with us all。
The fierce brutes fawned at your call；
Then slipped to their lairs； song…chained。
And thus you sang sweetly； and reigned：
〃Immortal is the inner peace； free to beasts and men。
Beginning in the darkness； the mystery will conquer；
And now it comforts every heart that seeks for love again。
And now the mammoth bows the knee；
We hew down every Tiger Tree；
We send each tiger bound in love and glory to his den；
Bound in love 。 。 。 and wisdom 。 。 。 and glory； 。 。 。 to his den。〃
III
〃Beware of the trumpeting swine；〃
Came the howl from the northward that night。
Twice…rebel tigers warning was still
If we held not beside them it boded us ill。
From the parrots translating the cry；
And the apes in the trees came the whine：
〃Beware of the trumpeting swine。
Beware of the faith of a mammoth。〃
〃Beware of the faith of a tiger；〃
Came the roar from the southward that night。
Trumpeting mammoths warning us still
If we held not beside them it boded us ill。
The frail apes wailed to us all；
The parrots reechoed the call：
〃Beware of the faith of a tiger。〃
From the heights of the forest the watchers could see
The tiger…cats crunching the Leaf of the Tree
Lashing themselves； and scattering foam；
Killing our huntsmen； hurrying home。
The chiefs of the mammoths our mastery spurned；
And eastward restlessly fumed and burned。
The peacocks squalled out the news of their drilling
And told how they trampled； maneuvered； and turned。
Ten thousand man…hating tigers
Whirling down from the north； like a flood！
Ten thousand mammoths oncoming
From the south as avengers of blood！
Our child…queen was mourning； her magic was dead；
The roots of the Tiger Tree reeking with red。