---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Burdick, Arthur J.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 2
number: 7
published: 1899-05
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Burdick, Arthur J., "The Lake at Sunset: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 7 (May 1899): 489.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera27unse
start_page: 489
end_page: 489
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-05)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse
  publication_year: 1899
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Lake at Sunset: A Poem

<!-- page:489 -->

—         —

GROUNDWORK FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEADERSHIP.                                489

     For the sake of good government and leadership by man, it
remains necessary to have the invaluable privilege of receiving
correct information and instructions from the living oracles of
God, authorized by the infallible Governor on high.
     Finally, therefore, true government        on our globe, at present,
is not a fact,   without prophets;    in   other words:     the will of God,
must set its stamp upon government measures, else they can not
be reliable as true measures of benefit and divine statesmanship.

                       THE LAKE AT SUNSET.

     [The following poem by Mr. Arthur J. Burdick, if reference to the
^'verdant tinge cast by the forest green," were omitted, might stand for
a description of sunset on our own lake    — and hence we reproduce   it from

the collection of the author's poems under the      title   "Just Jingles."
Uditors.]

     The glaring sun has sought the mists that hover in the west;
     The wanton wind has tired of play and gently sunk to rest;
     The lake lies placid 'mid the fields and rugged, tree-clad hills,
     Fed by the river of the plain and singing mountain rills.

     Belated swallows gaily skim its waters clear and bright;
     And far across its calm expanse the golden, glancing light
                                        —
     The parting kiss of the warm sun spreads glory on the scene,
     And tints with gold the verdant tinge cast by the forest green.

     The sun slips gently out of sight adown the western sky,
     And darker grow the shadows that upon the waters lie;
     The swallows seek their forest homes and chirp themselves to rest;
     And birds of night come forth to sport above the lake's calm breast.

     The gold fades from the sunset sky; the bright stars gleam and glow.
     And view their sparkling, mirrored forms within the lake below;
     A passing breeze the calm lake stirs, with tender touch and light;
     And rippling echoes seem to breathe the world a fond good-night.
                                                  Arthur J. Burdick.