James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902.
August 3Nilsson
By Sidney Lanier (18421881)A
With silver sheens of crystal frost,
Yet warm, nor life nor fragrance lost.
That Art hath wrought of diamond clear,
—A great heart beating in a tear.
That shape the wondrous-varying themes
As cries of men or plash of streams.
That patter daintily a-ground
With hints of heaven in the sound.
Through morning-skies across the sea
Wild hymns to some strange majesty.
May type the art of Song’s best queen,
White-hot of soul, white-chaste of mien,
As if a Swedish snowflake fell
Into a glowing flower-bell.