170

date: 1920-04-15

names-on-the-page: Mr. Dunipace; Mrs. Curran; Mrs. Busby

transcription: April 15, 1920 - Page 3

Yesterday and Today.
One beside the other.
Behold, as an hourglass doth yesterday
Slip into today and today slip unto yesterday.
For today's inspiration is yesterday's echo
And yesterday's hope is today's fulfillment.
Yesterday and Today.

At this point she asked the company to set her some tasks and
Mr. Dunipace asked her to write a poem on Maumee. Mrs. Curran thought
it was some new breakfast food, but Patience did not hesitate and gave
him this:

-The Maumee-

Behold, as the stars descend
Upon the sheening, lapping, breast
Reflected and the shadows shuttle and the moon
Stands sentinelling that empty quietude
And the little echoes scratch, far distant
Pulsing as vagrant memories beckoning.
And the shadows lag heavy, blackly
Lipping, and skyward stretcheth, abyssed,
The universes, spreading and I
Between the twain! Ah, a phantomsy
And reality enthralled!

Mrs. Busby now asked for a poem on a Southern plantation. Patience
began by giving this:

-Sweet Labor-

How sweet is labor!
In the young hours 'mid the young green,
With the hot breath of night's ardor
Still upon the morning's cheek!

How sweet is labor! When the dew
Yet clings and the wine, that wine
Which surgeth man to share
The pregnant sod, spurts
And behold, beneath the trod of the toiled
Spurteth verdant that emblem which
Is manifest before God, man's desire!

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