Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), called "Maud" by family and friends and publicly known as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908. Anne of Green Gables was an immediate success. The central character, Anne, an orphaned girl, made Montgomery famous in her lifetime and gave her an international following. The first novel was followed by a series of sequels with Anne as the central character. Montgomery went on to publish 20 novels as well as 500 short stories and poems. Because many of the novels were set on Prince Edward Island, Canada and the Canadian province became literary landmarks. She was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1935.
Montgomery's work, diaries and letters have been read and studied by scholars and readers worldwide
Montgomery's work, diaries and letters have been read and studied by scholars and readers worldwide
An Autumn EveningDark hills against a hollow crocus sky
Scarfed with its crimson pennons, and below The dome of sunset long, hushed valleys lie Cradling the twilight, where the lone winds blow And wake among the harps of leafless trees Fantastic runes and mournful melodies. The chilly purple air is threaded through With silver from the rising moon afar, And from a gulf of clear, unfathomed blue In the southwest glimmers a great gold star Above the darkening druid glens of fir Where beckoning boughs and elfin voices stir. And so I wander through the shadows still, And look and listen with a rapt delight, Pausing again and yet again at will To drink the elusive beauty of the night, Until my soul is filled, as some deep cup, That with divine enchantment is brimmed up. |
As the Heart HopesIt is a year dear one, since you afar
Went out beyond my yearning mortal sight A wondrous year! perchance in many a star You have sojourned, or basked within the light Of mightier suns; it may be you have trod The glittering pathways of the Pleiades, And through the Milky Way's white mysteries Have walked at will, fire-shod. You may have gazed in the immortal eyes Of prophets and of martyrs; talked with seers Learned in all the lore of Paradise, The infinite wisdom of eternal years; To you the Sons of Morning may have sung, The impassioned strophes of their matin hymn, For you the choirs of the seraphim Their harpings wild out-flung. But still I think at eve you come to me For old, delightsome speech of eye and lip, Deeming our mutual converse thus to be Fairer than archangelic comradeship; Dearer our close communings fondly given Than all the rainbow dreams a spirit knows, Sweeter my gathered violets than the rose Upon the hills of heaven. Can any exquisite, unearthly morn, Silverly breaking o'er a starry plain, Give to your soul the poignant pleasure born Of virgin moon and sunset's lustrous stain When we together watch them ? Oh, apart A hundred universes you may roam, But still I knowI knowyour only home Is here within my heart! |
Before StormThere's a grayness over the harbor like fear on the face of a woman,
The sob of the waves has a sound akin to a woman's cry, And the deeps beyond the bar are moaning with evil presage Of a storm that will leap from its lair in that dour north-eastern sky. Slowly the pale mists rise, like ghosts of the sea, in the offing, Creeping all wan and chilly by headland and sunken reef, And a wind is wailing and keening like a lost thing 'mid the islands, Boding of wreck and tempest, plaining of dolor and grief. Swiftly the boats come homeward, over the grim bar crowding, Like birds that flee to their shelter in hurry and affright, Only the wild grey gulls that love the cloud and the clamor Will dare to tempt the ways of the ravining sea to-night. But the ship that sailed at the dawning, manned by the lads who love us God help and pity her when the storm is loosed on her track! O women, we pray to-night and keep a vigil of sorrow For those we speed at the dawning and may never welcome back! |