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And looked at the hill hard by；
And I heartily grieved for the comrade
Who wandered up there to die。
I let in the morn on the morrow；
And failed not to think of him then；
As he trod up that rise in the twilight；
And never came down again。
I undid the shutter a week thence；
But not until after I'd turned
Did I call back his last departure
By the upland there discerned。
Uncovering the casement long later；
I bent to my toil till the gray；
When I said to myself； 〃Ahwhat ails me；
To forget him all the day！〃
As daily I flung back the shutter
In the same blank bald routine；
He scarcely once rose to remembrance
Through a month of my facing the scene。
And ah； seldom now do I ponder
At the window as heretofore
On the long valued one who died yonder；
And wastes by the sycamore。
IN THE DAYS OF CRINOLINE
A plain tilt…bonnet on her head
She took the path across the leaze。
… Her spouse the vicar； gardening； said；
〃Too dowdy that； for coquetries；
So I can hoe at ease。
But when she had passed into the heath；
And gained the wood beyond the flat；
She raised her skirts； and from beneath
Unpinned and drew as from a sheath
An ostrich…feathered hat。
And where the hat had hung she now
Concealed and pinned the dowdy hood；
And set the hat upon her brow；
And thus emerging from the wood
Tripped on in jaunty mood。
The sun was low and crimson…faced
As two came that way from the town；
And plunged into the wood untraced 。 。 。
When separately therefrom they paced
The sun had quite gone down。
The hat and feather disappeared；
The dowdy hood again was donned；
And in the gloom the fair one neared
Her home and husband dour； who conned
Calmly his blue…eyed blonde。
〃To…day；〃 he said； 〃you have shown good sense；
A dress so modest and so meek
Should always deck your goings hence
Alone。〃 And as a recompense
He kissed her on the cheek。
THE ROMAN GRAVEMOUNDS
By Rome's dim relics there walks a man；
Eyes bent； and he carries a basket and spade；
I guess what impels him to scrape and scan；
Yea； his dreams of that Empire long decayed。
〃Vast was Rome；〃 he must muse； 〃in the world's regard；
Vast it looms there still； vast it ever will be；〃
And he stoops as to dig and unmine some shard
Left by those who are held in such memory。
But no； in his basket； see； he has brought
A little white furred thing； stiff of limb；
Whose life never won from the world a thought；
It is this； and not Rome； that is moving him。
And to make it a grave he has come to the spot；
And he delves in the ancient dead's long home；
Their fames； their achievements； the man knows not；
The furred thing is all to himnothing Rome！
〃Here say you that Caesar's warriors lie？ …
But my little white cat was my only friend！
Could she but live； might the record die
Of Caesar； his legions； his aims； his end！〃
Well； Rome's long rule here is oft and again
A theme for the sages of history；
And the small furred life was worth no one's pen；
Yet its mourner's mood has a charm for me。
November 1910。
THE WORKBOX
〃See； here's the workbox； little wife；
That I made of polished oak。〃
He was a joiner； of village life；
She came of borough folk。
He holds the present up to her
As with a smile she nears
And answers to the profferer；
〃'Twill last all my sewing years！〃
〃I warrant it will。 And longer too。
'Tis a scantling that I got
Off poor John Wayward's coffin； who
Died of they knew not what。
〃The shingled pattern that seems to cease
Against your box's rim
Continues right on in the piece
That's underground with him。
〃And while I worked it made me think
Of timber's varied doom；
One inch where people eat and drink；
The next inch in a tomb。
〃But why do you look so white； my dear；
And turn aside your face？
You knew not that good lad； I fear；
Though he came from your native place？〃
〃How could I know that good young man；
Though he came from my native town；
When he must have left there earlier than
I was a woman grown？〃
〃Ah no。 I should have understood！
It shocked you that I gave
To you one end of a piece of wood
Whose other is in a grave？〃
〃Don't； dear； despise my intellect；
Mere accidental things
Of that sort never have effect
On my imaginings。〃
Yet still her lips were limp and wan；
Her face still held aside；
As if she had known not only John；
But known of what he died。
THE SACRILEGE
A BALLAD…TRAGEDY
（Circa 182…）
PART I
〃I have a Love I love too well
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor；
I have a Love I love too well；
To whom； ere she was mine；
'Such is my love for you；' I said；
'That you shall have to hood your head
A silken kerchief crimson…red；
Wove finest of the fine。'
〃And since this Love； for one mad moon；
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor；
Since this my Love for one mad moon
Did clasp me as her king；
I snatched a silk…piece red and rare
From off a stall at Priddy Fair；
For handkerchief to hood her hair
When we went gallanting。
〃Full soon the four weeks neared their end
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor；
And when the four weeks neared their end；
And their swift sweets outwore；
I said； 'What shall I do to own
Those beauties bright as tulips blown；
And keep you here with me alone
As mine for evermore？'
〃And as she drowsed within my van
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor …
And as she drowsed within my van；
And dawning turned to day；
She heavily raised her sloe…black eyes
And murmured back in softest wise；
'One more thing； and the charms you prize
Are yours henceforth for aye。
〃'And swear I will I'll never go
While Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor
To meet the Cornish Wrestler Joe
For dance and dallyings。
If you'll to yon cathedral shrine；
And finger from the chest divine
Treasure to buy me ear…drops fine；
And richly jewelled rings。'
〃I said： 'I am one who has gathered gear
From Marlbury Downs to Dunkery Tor；
Who has gathered gear for many a year
From mansion； mart and fair；
But at God's house I've stayed my hand；
Hearing within me some command …
Curbed by a law not of the land
From doing damage there。'
〃Whereat she pouts； this Love of mine；
As Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor；
And still she pouts； this Love of mine；
So cityward I go。
But ere I start to do the thing；
And speed my soul's imperilling
For one who is my ravishing
And all the joy I know；
〃I come to lay this charge on thee …
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor …
I come to lay this charge on thee
With solemn speech and sign：
Should things go ill； and my life pay
For botchery in this rash assay；
You are to take hers likewiseyea；
The month the law takes mine。
〃For should my rival； Wrestler Joe；
Where Dunkery frowns on Exon Moor …
My reckless rival； Wrestler Joe；
My Love's possessor be；
My tortured spirit would not rest；
But wander weary and distrest
Throughout the world in wild protest：
The thought nigh maddens me！〃
PART II
Thus did he speakthis brother of mine …
On Exon Wild by Dunkery Tor；
Born at my birth of mother of mine；
And forthwith went his way
To dare the deed some coming night 。 。