Four Poems by Rayner W. Kelsey

24 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION FOUR POEMS BY RAYNER W. KELSEY Two Pilgrims in the Quest of Truth ÍN the far pilgrimage of life, deal gently with thy brother in the way; Look not too darkly on his wide diverging path; That he forsakes the true and hurries toward the false, Be slow to charge. And for thyself, Claim not too surely that thy path alone is right. Mayhap the realm of truth is greater than we know, Nearer to us than ever we have dreamed; And even now, perchance, from his high citadel, Peering afar, the King of Truth doth see, Within the outer precincts of his land, Toiling in faith by long converging paths, Two slow-oncoming pilgrims in the quest of Truth. From The American Friend, vol. 15 (1908) : p. 661. My Sequoia Symphony To the "Grizzly Giant" in the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, California. Age, about 5,000 years. TO live the few decades of my years as well as this mighty tree has lived its thousands. Early to lay firm hold upon enduring foundations; to grow straight, without gnarls or crooked places; to do triumphant battle with every storm and thus get strength and give some shelter to my fellows; to bear heroically the searing fires of sorrow, and wait patiently for Time's healing hand to close the deep-burned scars; to grow old cheerfully, and keep my head well up toward Heaven's sunlight; stoutly to keep the Silent Conqueror at bay until my time shall come; then to fall bravely and without complaint. Thus to be regal in my little place, as this great tree is king among his fellows—this is my Sequoia Symphony. From The American Friend, vol. 16 (1909) : p. 49. POEMS25 We Think of Thee Addressed to Herbert Hoover, and sent to him. Never published. OSILENT man upon the sunset slope, Renew thy strength beside vur western sea; And know that tossing still 'twixt fear and hope, Unnumbered grateful hearts oft think of thee. We saw thee in the days of war and hate, Pursue thy healing work in many lands; We knew thee when the storm-tossed Ship of State Was kept on course by steady, faithful hands. O rest thee well amid thy sun-lit hills, In dignity and grace, until at length, Mayhap thy stricken country or the world Will see again thy wisdom and thy strength. We pray another pilot now may cope, And guide the Ship against an angry sea; Yet midst the changing tides of fear and hope, We think of thee, great heart, we think of thee. 1933 Uncle Allen The recent death of Salem Tutt Whitney, who played the part of Noah in The Green Pastures, suggested to Dr. Kelsey the following: LAST winter when The Green Pastures was in Philadelphia, / I saw Salem Tutt Whitney play his great part of Noah. I also heard him give an address to the young people at Haverford Friends' Meeting House. He mentioned in his address that he came from Logansport, Indiana, and I asked him after the meeting whether he remembered an old colored man who used to peddle sandwiches and cakes at the railroad station in Logansport . He answered with joy that the old colored man was his own Uncle Allen. As I was very fond of Uncle Allen in my college days, when I passed back and forth between Chicago and Richmond, Indiana, this meeting with his nephew after 30 years brought back many old memories. As a result I wrote some verses in memory of Uncle Allen, which are copied below. 26 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION The amusing part of the incident to me is that after I had sent a copy of my verses to Mr. Whitney, he wrote to me that he had shown a copy to "Gabriel, Adam, Moses, and the High Priest" and they all expressed appreciation. Now I do not claim to be much of a poet ; but I want to ask how many other poets in the world have had the approval of such a heavenly hierarchy as the above-mentioned? [The poem is as follows :] ((T^EACH pie, apple...