THE KINGDOM OF LOVE and other poems

by ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

GAY AND HANCOCK, LTD. 12 & 13, HENRIETTA STREET, STRAND LONDON 1909

[All rights reserved]

Contents:

The Kingdom Of Love Meg’s Curse Solitude The Gossips Platonic Grandpa’s Christmas After The Engagement A Holiday False Two Sinners The Phantom Ball Words And Thoughts Wanted—A Little Girl The Suicide “Now I Lay Me” The Messenger A Servian Legend Peek-A-Boo The Falling Of Thrones Her Last Letter The Princess’s Finger-Nail A Baby In The House The Foolish Elm Robin’s Mistake New Year Resolve What We Want Breaking The Day In Two The Rape Of The Mist The Two Glasses The Maniac What Is Flirtation? Husband And Wife How Does Love Speak? Reincarnation As You Go Through Life How Salvator Won The Watcher How Will It Be? Memory’s River Love’s Way A Man’s Last Love The Lady And The Dame Confession A Married Coquette Forbidden Speech The Summer Girl The Ghost The Signboard A Man’s Repentance Aristarchus Dell And I About May Vanity Fair The Giddy Girl A Girl’s Autumn Reverie His Youth Under The Sheet A Pin The Coming Man

THE KINGDOM OF LOVE

In the dawn of the day when the sea and the earth Reflected the sunrise above, I set forth with a heart full of courage and mirth To seek for the Kingdom of Love. I asked of a Poet I met on the way Which cross-road would lead me aright; And he said “Follow me, and ere long you shall see Its glittering turrets of light.”

And soon in the distance a city shone fair. “Look yonder,” he said; “How it gleams!” But alas! for the hopes that were doomed to despair, It was only the “Kingdom of Dreams.” Then the next man I asked was a gay Cavalier, And he said: “Follow me, follow me”; And with laughter and song we went speeding along By the shores of Life’s beautiful sea.

Then we came to a valley more tropical far Than the wonderful vale of Cashmere, And I saw from a bower a face like a flower Smile out on the gay Cavalier; And he said: “We have come to humanity’s goal: Here love and delight are intense.” But alas and alas! for the hopes of my soul— It was only the “Kingdom of Sense.”

As I journeyed more slowly I met on the road A coach with retainers behind; And they said: “Follow me, for our Lady’s abode Belongs in that realm, you will find.” ’Twas a grand dame of fashion, a newly-made bride, I followed, encouraged and bold; But my hopes died away like the last gleams of day, For we came to the “Kingdom of Gold.”

At the door of a cottage I asked a fair maid. “I have heard of that realm,” she replied; “But my feet never roam from the ‘Kingdom of Home,’ So I know not the way,” and she sighed. I looked on the cottage; how restful it seemed! And the maid was as fair as a dove. Great light glorified my soul as I cried: “Why, Home is the ‘Kingdom of Love’!”