anna hempstead branch

i found myself cruising through bartleby’s excellent collection of literature and came across an edition published in 1919 entitled “modern american poetry.” the temptation to dig inside it was enough that i decided to chuck my list of “things-that-absolutely-must-be-done” in favour of finding new poets - well new to me! and with that attitude i lucked out by coming across a poet named anna hempstead branch.

anna was born in connecticut in 1875. she began writing poetry while attending the american academy of dramatic art in new york city and shortly thereafter had a poem published in century magazine which more-or-less assured her some fame as a writer.

anna once said most revealingly: ““order is a lovely thing; on disarray it lays its wing, teaching simplicity to sing.” this is the first line from her poem entitled "the monk in the kitchen" which is a poem i could write - but that's another story!!.

today’s poem is taken from her collection published in 1905 entitled “shoes that danced and other poems.”she wrote this old-fashioned but lovely piece entitled “while loveliness goes by” . . .
 
sometimes when all the world seems grey and dun
 
and nothing beautiful, a voice will cry,
 
"look out, look out! angels are drawing nigh!"
 
then my slow burdens leave me one by one,
 
and swiftly does my heart arise and run
         
even like a child while loveliness goes by—
 
and common folk seem children of the sky,
 
and common things seem shapèd of the sun.
 
oh, pitiful! that i who love them, must
 
so soon perceive their shining garments fade!

and slowly, slowly, from my eyes of trust
 
their flaming banners sink into a shade!
 
while this earth's sunshine seems the golden dust
 
slow settling from that radiant cavalcade.