page 48

Dawn

By H. Collett. (For the “N.Z. Railways Magazine.”)

East's petal lips
Kiss Waking Day;
Night's crystal gems
Deck bud and spray,
Pearl-emblems of her love that hold
The Starlight's purest ray.
In modesty
Night's Sentinel
Has dropt his cowl.
The Mist's dispel,
The Sun's red glory blazes forth,
Flame-shafted, o'er the fell.
With throat athrob,
By bush and brake,
Rayish'd to song
The birds awake;
Where shadowed pines reflected lie
In umber-miraged Lake.
Mako¹ rings soft
His bronzed gong;
The Tui's harp
Vibrates in song,
Beneath a bowl of lacquered blue
Gold-damasks drift along.
In amber drowned,
The Kowhais gleam
As points of flame.
Burnished Kotare ², arrow-gem,
Flashes a jewel-dream.