West High School - Senior Occident Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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Class Poem—1911 My tasks were clone; and weary of the world Of care and toil, I wandered forth alone. The path I trod stretched toward the setting sun Whose vari-tinted rays lit up the sky To right and left and far above my head. On either side, tall sentinels rose up, Their leafy branches swaying in the breeze And humming a low lullaby to hush All nature’s children far and wide. And as I gazed upon them there, I could not guess If they were set there for such souls as I, To give protection from the woods within; Or to conceal from curious human eyes Nature’s sweet purity. And, walking, I Espied, while pondering thus, a smaller path Which went athwart the first, and which at last Did lead me, following with weary feet, To where the woodland foliage gave way And left a space all open to the sky; And with a verdant carpet soft as down. And all around there rose a grassy mound Which sloped down gently to the central 'spot. I paused; afar I heard the muffled roar Of steady waterfall, which strangely seemed To mingle with the sweetly murmuring breath Of slowly dying wind. And nearer, was The last faint twitter of the woodland birds, Which just before had sought their nightly perch. A feeling of serenity lay hold Upon my soul, and with a thankful heart 1 lay upon the grassy mound; and as I looked upon the little, cup of green Queer fancies trooped across my mind. Perhaps This was the very rendezvous of elves And fairies, who were dwelling in the woods; Perhaps by night this formed their banquet hall; Or else, perhaps, their queen here held her court; Perhaps— But here there broke upon my ear The sound of distant music, born along Upon the last faint movements of the wind. [ 10 ]

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The Faculty

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And nearer grew the sound and nearer still Until the woodland rang with happy song Of many voices blended, and the whole Was mingled with the laughter and the shouts Of what would seem a multitude. As when The sun behind a darkling sky, at first Sends out a creeping ray with caution, slow; And then another beam steals out and joins The first; and then a third with courage gained By the success of other two, and bold Beyond the others, now glides out; and then Great shafts shoot out, and all at once the sky Bursts forth in light—so burst this joyful song Upon my ear. And from behind a group Of thick-branched brush, there came a crowd of youth And maidens fair, with sprightly step, and all Their faces full of joy, and free from care. And in their midst with dignity there moved A kind-faced man, who looked upon them all With yearning eyes which almost seemed to speak And utter forth a wish felt in his heart. And when they reached the spot near which I lay. They stopped and gathered everyone about Their elder and their friend. Then I perceived That in his hand he bore a chisel bright, And on its handle gilded, was this word— “Masterbuilder. And when they gathered •’round And sat upon the green, each one his eyes Upon the master turned and silence reigned. “My children,”—O the voice of him who spoke! It rose and fell upon the quiet air With cadence beautiful. A voice which seemed To mingle joy and sorrow into one. And such a one as makes the hearer trust 'Fhe man beyond the sound. And there they sat Enfolded by the quiet eventide And listened while he spoke to them. “My children well beloved, ’tis thus we meet Once more, but this will be the last of all. To-day, ye leave this life and pass beyond My care. At this last time would I, in brief, Review the teachings, I have given ye. For years in deeds and illustrations, now In words. O bear them well in mind, for ve Will need them daily in your coming life: C n 3