| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: ``I thought, maybe, you were a Sister,'' said Bessie Bell.
``No,'' said the lady.
``Like Sister Mary Felice, and Sister Angela, and Sister Helen
Vincula,'' said Bessie Bell.
``No,'' said the lady.
``Are you a Mama, then?'' asked Bessie Bell.
The lady looked as if she were going to cry.
But Bessie Bell could see nothing to cry about. The band was still
playing ever so gaily, and all the little children looked so
beautiful and so happy, all playing and running hither and thither
on the sawdust walks, that it was good just to look at them.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories by Alice Dunbar: laughing kiss, the sides of the little boats and fish-cars
tugging at their ropes, alike showed white and flaming, as though
the sea and all it touched were afire.
Annette and Philip paused midway the pier to watch two fishermen
casting their nets. With heads bared to the breeze, they stood
in clear silhouette against the white background of sea.
"See how he uses his teeth," almost whispered Annette.
Drawing himself up to his full height, with one end of the huge
seine between his teeth, and the cord in his left hand, the
taller fisherman of the two paused a half instant, his right arm
extended, grasping the folds of the net. There was a swishing
The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Pierre Grassou by Honore de Balzac: notary, Cardot, his quarterly earnings and economies. When the notary
had received about three thousand francs he invested them in some
first mortgage, the interest of which he drew himself and added to the
quarterly payments made to him by Fougeres. The painter was awaiting
the fortunate moment when his property thus laid by would give him the
imposing income of two thousand francs, to allow himself the otium cum
dignitate of the artist and paint pictures; but oh! what pictures!
true pictures! each a finished picture! chouette, Koxnoff, chocnosoff!
His future, his dreams of happiness, the superlative of his hopes--do
you know what it was? To enter the Institute and obtain the grade of
officer of the Legion of honor; to side down beside Schinner and Leon
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Three Taverns by Edwin Arlington Robinson: The Old King's New Jester
Lazarus
Several poems included in this book appeared originally
in American periodicals, as follows: The Three Taverns, London Bridge,
A Song at Shannon's, The New Tenants, Discovery, John Brown;
Archibald's Example, The Valley of the Shadow; Nimmo; The Wandering Jew,
Souvenir; Neighbors, Tact; Demos; The Mill, An Evangelist's Wife;
Firelight; Late Summer; Inferential; The Flying Dutchman;
On the Way, The False Gods; Peace on Earth; The Old King's New Jester.
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The Three Taverns
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