Where in a green, moist, myrtle dell br The torrent voice rings strong br And clear, above a star-bright well, br I write this woodland song. br br The melodies of many leaves br Float in a fragrant zone; br And here are flowers by deep-mossed eaves br That day has never known. br br I'll weave a garland out of these, br The darlings of the birds, br And send it over singing seas br With certain sunny words - br br With certain words alive with light br Of welcome for a thing br Of promise, born beneath the white, br Soft afternoon of Spring. br br The faithful few have waited long br A life like this to see; br And they will understand the song br That flows to-day from me. br br May every page within this book br Be as a radiant hour; br Or like a bank of mountain brook, br All flower and leaf and flower. br br May all the strength and all the grace br Of Letters make it beam br As beams a lawn whose lovely face br Is as a glorious dream. br br And may that strange divinity br That men call Genius write br Some deathless thing in days to be, br To fill those days with light. br br Here where the free, frank waters run, br I pray this book may grow br A sacred candour like the sun br Above the morning snow. br br May noble thoughts in faultless words - br In clean white diction - make br It shine as shines the home of birds br And moss and leaf and lake. br br This fair fresh life with joy I hail, br And this belief express, br Its days will be a brilliant tale br Of effort and success. br br Here ends my song; I have a dream br Of beauty like the grace br Which lies upon the land of stream br In yonder mountain place.