Being fogged in far antiqueness past surmise and reason's reach。
V
Said I then； sunk in tone；
〃I am merest mimicker and counterfeit！ …
Though thinking； I AM I
AND WHAT I DO I DO MYSELF ALONE。〃
The cynic twist of the page thereat unknit
Back to its normal figure； having wrought its purport wry；
The Mage's mirror left the window…square；
And the stained moon and drift retook their places there。
1916。
THIS HEART
A WOMAN'S DREAM
At midnight； in the room where he lay dead
Whom in his life I had never clearly read；
I thought if I could peer into that citadel
His heart； I should at last know full and well
What hereto had been known to him alone；
Despite our long sit…out of years foreflown；
〃And if；〃 I said； 〃I do this for his memory's sake；
It would not wound him； even if he could wake。〃
So I bent over him。 He seemed to smile
With a calm confidence the whole long while
That I； withdrawing his heart； held it and； bit by bit；
Perused the unguessed things found written on it。
It was inscribed like a terrestrial sphere
With quaint vermiculations close and clear …
His graving。 Had I known； would I have risked the stroke
Its reading brought； and my own heart nigh broke！
Yes； there at last； eyes opened； did I see
His whole sincere symmetric history；
There were his truth； his simple singlemindedness；
Strained； maybe； by time's storms； but there no less。
There were the daily deeds from sun to sun
In blindness； but good faith； that he had done；
There were regrets； at instances wherein he swerved
（As he conceived） from cherishings I had deserved。
There were old hours all figured down as bliss …
Those spent with me（how little had I thought this！）
There those when； at my absence； whether he slept or waked；
（Though I knew not 'twas so！） his spirit ached。
There that when we were severed； how day dulled
Till time joined us anew； was chronicled：
And arguments and battlings in defence of me
That heart recorded clearly and ruddily。
I put it back； and left him as he lay
While pierced the morning pink and then the gray
Into each dreary room and corridor around；
Where I shall wait； but his step will not sound。
WHERE THEY LIVED
Dishevelled leaves creep down
Upon that bank to…day；
Some green； some yellow； and some pale brown；
The wet bents bob and sway；
The once warm slippery turf is sodden
Where we laughingly sat or lay。
The summerhouse is gone；
Leaving a weedy space；
The bushes that veiled it once have grown
Gaunt trees that interlace；
Through whose lank limbs I see too clearly
The nakedness of the place。
And where were hills of blue；
Blind drifts of vapour blow；
And the names of former dwellers few；
If any； people know；
And instead of a voice that called； 〃Come in； Dears；〃
Time calls； 〃Pass below！〃
THE OCCULTATION
When the cloud shut down on the morning shine；
And darkened the sun；
I said； 〃So ended that joy of mine
Years back begun。〃
But day continued its lustrous roll
In upper air；
And did my late irradiate soul
Live on somewhere？
LIFE LAUGHS ONWARD
Rambling I looked for an old abode
Where； years back； one had lived I knew；
Its site a dwelling duly showed；
But it was new。
I went where； not so long ago；
The sod had riven two breasts asunder；
Daisies throve gaily there； as though
No grave were under。
I walked along a terrace where
Loud children gambolled in the sun；
The figure that had once sat there
Was missed by none。
Life laughed and moved on unsubdued；
I saw that Old succumbed to Young：
'Twas well。 My too regretful mood
Died on my tongue。
THE PEACE…OFFERING
It was but a little thing；
Yet I knew it meant to me
Ease from what had given a sting
To the very birdsinging
Latterly。
But I would not welcome it；
And for all I then declined
O the regrettings infinite
When the night…processions flit
Through the mind！
〃SOMETHING TAPPED〃
Something tapped on the pane of my room
When there was never a trace
Of wind or rain； and I saw in the gloom
My weary Beloved's face。
〃O I am tired of waiting；〃 she said；
〃Night； morn； noon； afternoon；
So cold it is in my lonely bed；
And I thought you would join me soon！〃
I rose and neared the window…glass；
But vanished thence had she：
Only a pallid moth； alas；
Tapped at the pane for me。
August 1913。
THE WOUND
I climbed to the crest；
And； fog…festooned；
The sun lay west
Like a crimson wound：
Like that wound of mine
Of which none knew；
For I'd given no sign
That it pierced me through。
A MERRYMAKING IN QUESTION
〃I will get a new string for my fiddle；
And call to the neighbours to come；
And partners shall dance down the middle
Until the old pewter…wares hum：
And we'll sip the mead； cyder； and rum！〃
From the night came the oddest of answers：
A hollow wind； like a bassoon；
And headstones all ranged up as dancers；
And cypresses droning a croon；
And gurgoyles that mouthed to the tune。
〃I SAID AND SANG HER EXCELLENCE〃
（Fickle Lover's Song）
I said and sang her excellence：
They called it laud undue。
（Have your way； my heart； O！）
Yet what was homage far above
The plain deserts of my olden Love
Proved verity of my new。
〃She moves a sylph in picture…land；
Where nothing frosts the air：〃
（Have your way； my heart； O！）
〃To all winged pipers overhead
She is known by shape and song；〃 I said；
Conscious of licence there。
I sang of her in a dim old hall
Dream…built too fancifully；
（Have your way； my heart； O！）
But lo； the ripe months chanced to lead
My feet to such a hall indeed；
Where stood the very She。
Strange； startling； was it then to learn
I had glanced down unborn time；
（Have your way； my heart； O！）
And prophesied； whereby I knew
That which the years had planned to do
In warranty of my rhyme。
BY RUSHY…POND。
A JANUARY NIGHT
（1879）
The rain smites more and more；
The east wind snarls and sneezes；
Through the joints of the quivering door
The water wheezes。
The tip of each ivy…shoot
Writhes on its neighbour's face；
There is some hid dread afoot
That we cannot trace。
Is it the spirit astray
Of the man at the house below
Whose coffin they took in to…day？
We do not know。
A KISS
By a wall the stranger now calls his；
Was born of old a particular kiss；
Without forethought in its genesis；
Which in a trice took wing on the air。
And where that spot is nothing shows：
There ivy calmly grows；
And no one knows
What a birth was there！
That kiss is gone where none can tell …
Not even those who felt its spell：
It cannot have died； that know we well。
Somewhere it pursues its flight；
One of a long procession of sounds
Travelling aethereal rounds
Far from earth's bounds
In the infinite。
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
They came； the brothers； and took two chairs
In their usual quiet way；
And for a time we did not think
They had much to say。
And they began and talked awhile
Of ordinary things；
Till spread that silence in the room
A pent thought brings。
And then they said： 〃The end has come。
Yes： it has come at last。〃
And we looked down； and knew that day
A spirit had passed。
THE OXEN
Christmas Eve； and twelve of the clock。
〃Now they are all on their knees；〃
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease。
We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen；
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then。
So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years！ Yet； I feel；
If someone said on Christmas Eve；
〃Come； see the oxen kneel
〃In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know；〃
I should go with him in the gloom；
Hoping it might be so。
1915。
THE TRESSES
〃When the air was damp
It made my curls hang slack
As they kissed my neck and back
While I footed the salt…aired track
I loved to tramp。
〃When it was dry
They would roll up crisp and tight
As I went on in the light
Of the sun； which my own sprite
Seemed to outvie。
〃Now I am old；
And have not one gay curl
As I had when a girl
For dampness to unfurl
Or sun uphold！〃
THE PHOTOGRAPH
The flame crept up the portrait line by line
As it lay on the coals in the silence of night's profound；
And over the arm's incline；
And along the marge of the silkwork superfine；
And gnawed at the delicate bosom's defenceless round。
Then I vented a cry of hurt； and averted my eyes；
The spectacle was one that I could not bear；
To my deep and sad surprise；
But； compelled to heed； I again looked furtive…wise
Till the flame had eaten her breasts； and mouth； and hair。
〃Thank God； she is out of it now！〃 I said at last；
In a great relief of heart when the thing was done
That had set my soul aghast；
And nothing was left of the picture unsheathed from the past
But the ashen ghost of the card it had figured on。
She was a woman long hid amid packs of years；
She might have been living or dead； she was lost to my sight；
And the deed that had nigh drawn tears
Was done in a casual clearance of life's arrears；
But I felt as if I had put her to death that night！ 。 。 。
* * *
… Well； she knew nothing thereof did she survive；
And suffered nothing if numbered among the dead；
Yetyetif on earth alive
Did she feel a smart； and with vague strange anguish strive？
If in heaven； did she smile at me sadly and shake her head？
ON A HEATH
I could hear a gown…skirt rustling
Before I could see her shape；
Rustling through the heather
That wove the common's drape；
On that evening of dark weather
When I hearkened； lips agape。
And the town…shine in the distance
Did but baffle here the sight；
And then a voice flew forward：
Dear； is't you？ I fear the night！〃
And the herons flapped to norward
In