sun
I came, not hoping; and, like one
Snatched out of blindness, rubbed my eyes,
And hailed my promised land with cries.

Yes, Lady, here I was at last;
Here found I all I had forecast:
The long roll of the sapphire sea
That keeps the land's virginity;
The stalwart giants of the wood
Laden with toys and flowers and food;
The precious forest pouring out
To compass the whole town about;
The town itself with streets of lawn,
Loved of the moon, blessed by the dawn,
Where the brown children all the day
Keep up a ceaseless noise of play,
Play in the sun, play in the rain,
Nor ever quarrel or complain;--
And late at night, in the woods of fruit,
Hark! do you hear the passing flute?

I threw one look to either hand,
And knew I was in Fairyland.
And yet one point of being so
I lacked. For, Lady (as you know),
Whoever by his might of hand,
Won entrance into Fairyland,
Found always with admiring eyes
A Fairy princess kind and wise.
It was not long I waited; soon
Upon my threshold, in broad noon,
Gracious and helpful, wise and good,
The Fairy Princess Moe stood. {44}

_Tantira_, _Tahiti_, _Nov._ 5, 1888.

XXIX--TO KALAKAUA
(_With a present of a Pearl_)

The Silver Ship, my King--that was her name
In the bright islands whence your fathers came {45}--
The Silver Ship, at rest from winds and tides,
Below your palace in your harbour rides:
And the seafarers, sitting safe on shore,
Like eager merchants count their treasures o'er.
One gift they find, one strange and lovely thing,
Now doubly precious since it pleased a king.

The right, my liege, is ancient as the lyre
For bards to give to kings what kings admire.
'Tis mine to offer for Apollo's sake;
And since the gift is fitting, yours to take.
To golden hands the golden pearl I bring:
The ocean jewel to the island king.

_Honolulu_, _Feb._ 3, 1889.

XXX--TO PRINCESS KAIULANI

[Written in April to Kaiulani in the April of her age; and at Waikiki,
within easy walk of Kaiulani's banyan! When she comes to my land and her
father's, and the rain beats upon the window (as I fear it will), let her
look at this page; it will be like a weed gathered and pressed at home;
and she will remember her own islands, and the shadow of the mighty tree;
and she will hear the peacocks screaming in the dusk and the wind blowing
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