Arthur Franklin Fuller Poems: Short, Christian and Inspirational Works

When the days are getting shorter,
When the nights are long and chill,
With my cares and work forgotten,
And the whole world hushed and still—
Then I love to make a fire,
Watch the flamelets dance and race,
For things are mighty cozy,
By the fire-place.

I love to have a friend or two
To make the deal complete—
Shoes off, cocked on an extry chair,
We toast our weary feet;
A bowl of pop-corn sittin’ near,
While time slips by apace,
Why folks, it’s awful cozy,
By the fire-place.

Pretty soon some nice quotation
Comes a-singin’ through his head—
A clean and sweet quotation,
Whose charm is quickly spread;
I’ll bound I’ll give an answer,
A match for his in grace—
Dad Time’s a grand romancer,
By the fire-place.

Then my friend may tell a story,
Course I’ll try to do as well—
We’ll both be in our glory,
Just a-weavin’ fiction’s spell;
I’ll read some book of poems—
Prose animates his face—
A man gets stout but younger,
By the fire-place.

We may tell the joys and sorrows
That have figured in the past,
Speculate on our Tomorrows—
But tears may start at last—
In those glowing, ruddy embers,
Fancy paints an absent face—
There’s a comfort one remembers,
By the fire-place.

Bye ’n’ bye it comes to bed-time,
And I wind the clock and say,
“Nine more hours an’ we’ll be facin’
Another little day;
But b’gosh, ’twill soon be over,
Back again our steps we’ll trace—
Spend another pleasant evenin’—
By the fire-place.”

No letter comes from you, my dear—
So soon have you forgot?
In these sad eyes there shines a tear—
Sweet friend, forget-me-not!

Oh! would that I within your heart
Had gained so warm a spot,
To treat me so, such pain would start,
You would forget-me-not.

May Time twine roses in your hair,
A thornless path allot—
Of all that’s good a bounteous share,
And Faith—forget-me-not!

Thy “fare-thee-well” was sweet and kind,
With hope these lines I jot—
Again to come before your mind
And say—“Forget-me-not!”

Where are you going, trav’ler?
The night is wild and dark—
The road has many pitfalls,
And woe each step will mark;
O Stranger, go no farther
Without a trusty Guide,
Calamities await you,
Without Him by your side.

“All aboard—all aboard!”
The warning words sound clear,
“All aboard—all aboard!”
The leaving time is here;
No more trains—this the last!
Get your ticket, quick decide—
Arguing time now is past,
In heav’n or hell abide!

There is one name under heaven
Whereby you can be saved,
’Tis certain Transportation
To where streets with gold are paved:
Its owner gives you solace
For every earthly woe,
With trust and peace surrounds you,
Wherever you may go.

Then come and know the Savior
Before it is too late,
Come now and claim Salvation
While there’s an open gate;
Come quick! the bell is ringing,
The Gospel train may go,
O do not wait, my brother,
Eternal death to know.

“All aboard—all aboard!”
The warning words sound clear,
“All aboard—all aboard!”
The leaving time is here;
No more trains—this the last!
Get your ticket, quick decide—
Arguing time now is past,
In heav’n or hell abide!

They said that years would bring me joy—
And years indeed have quickly flown;
But where’s the bliss without alloy—
The treasures I should call mine own?
And where’s the silver to the clouds—
The harvest for the labor wrought?
And where’s the comfort that I deemed
Would sure be mine if bravely sought?

I’m hungry for a little love—
I thirst for that I deem my right;
My grief-worn heart its sigh exhales,
And yearneth for you day and night.
The ocean in majestic turn
Sends foam-capped waves from shore to shore—
As ceaseless in my lonely heart
Arise Hope’s ghosts forevermore.

Ah, sad the smile that hides the wrecks—
The clinging clasp would fain retain—
For God in heaven only knows
If even dreams may come again!