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For life is little； and dead lies he；
I would I had let alone you two！
And both of us； scorning parochial ways；
Had lived like the wives in the patriarchs' days。〃
XVIN THE MOONLIGHT
〃O lonely workman； standing there
In a dream； why do you stare and stare
At her grave； as no other grave there were？
〃If your great gaunt eyes so importune
Her soul by the shine of this corpse…cold moon；
Maybe you'll raise her phantom soon！〃
〃Why； fool； it is what I would rather see
Than all the living folk there be；
But alas； there is no such joy for me！〃
〃Ahshe was one you loved； no doubt；
Through good and evil； through rain and drought；
And when she passed； all your sun went out？〃
〃Nay： she was the woman I did not love；
Whom all the others were ranked above；
Whom during her life I thought nothing of。〃
LYRICS AND REVERIES
（continued）
SELF…UNCONSCIOUS
Along the way
He walked that day；
Watching shapes that reveries limn；
And seldom he
Had eyes to see
The moment that encompassed him。
Bright yellowhammers
Made mirthful clamours；
And billed long straws with a bustling air；
And bearing their load
Flew up the road
That he followed； alone； without interest there。
From bank to ground
And over and round
They sidled along the adjoining hedge；
Sometimes to the gutter
Their yellow flutter
Would dip from the nearest slatestone ledge。
The smooth sea…line
With a metal shine；
And flashes of white； and a sail thereon；
He would also descry
With a half…wrapt eye
Between the projects he mused upon。
Yes； round him were these
Earth's artistries；
But specious plans that came to his call
Did most engage
His pilgrimage；
While himself he did not see at all。
Dead now as sherds
Are the yellow birds；
And all that mattered has passed away；
Yet God； the Elf；
Now shows him that self
As he was； and should have been shown； that day。
O it would have been good
Could he then have stood
At a focussed distance； and conned the whole；
But now such vision
Is mere derision；
Nor soothes his body nor saves his soul。
Not much； some may
Incline to say；
To see therein； had it all been seen。
Nay！ he is aware
A thing was there
That loomed with an immortal mien。
THE DISCOVERY
I wandered to a crude coast
Like a ghost；
Upon the hills I saw fires …
Funeral pyres
Seeminglyand heard breaking
Waves like distant cannonades that set the land shaking。
And so I never once guessed
A Love…nest；
Bowered and candle…lit； lay
In my way；
Till I found a hid hollow；
Where I burst on her my heart could not but follow。
TOLERANCE
〃It is a foolish thing；〃 said I；
〃To bear with such； and pass it by；
Yet so I do； I know not why！〃
And at each clash I would surmise
That if I had acted otherwise
I might have saved me many sighs。
But now the only happiness
In looking back that I possess …
Whose lack would leave me comfortless …
Is to remember I refrained
From masteries I might have gained；
And for my tolerance was disdained；
For see； a tomb。 And if it were
I had bent and broke； I should not dare
To linger in the shadows there。
BEFORE AND AFTER SUMMER
I
Looking forward to the spring
One puts up with anything。
On this February day；
Though the winds leap down the street；
Wintry scourgings seem but play；
And these later shafts of sleet
Sharper pointed than the first …
And these later snowsthe worst …
Are as a half…transparent blind
Riddled by rays from sun behind。
II
Shadows of the October pine
Reach into this room of mine：
On the pine there stands a bird；
He is shadowed with the tree。
Mutely perched he bills no word；
Blank as I am even is he。
For those happy suns are past；
Fore…discerned in winter last。
When went by their pleasure； then？
I； alas； perceived not when。
AT DAY…CLOSE IN NOVEMBER
The ten hours' light is abating；
And a late bird flies across；
Where the pines； like waltzers waiting；
Give their black heads a toss。
Beech leaves； that yellow the noon…time；
Float past like specks in the eye；
I set every tree in my June time；
And now they obscure the sky。
And the children who ramble through here
Conceive that there never has been
A time when no tall trees grew here；
A time when none will be seen。
THE YEAR'S AWAKENING
How do you know that the pilgrim track
Along the belting zodiac
Swept by the sun in his seeming rounds
Is traced by now to the Fishes' bounds
And into the Ram； when weeks of cloud
Have wrapt the sky in a clammy shroud；
And never as yet a tinct of spring
Has shown in the Earth's apparelling；
O vespering bird； how do you know；
How do you know？
How do you know； deep underground；
Hid in your bed from sight and sound；
Without a turn in temperature；
With weather life can scarce endure；
That light has won a fraction's strength；
And day put on some moments' length；
Whereof in merest rote will come；
Weeks hence； mild airs that do not numb；
O crocus root； how do you know；
How do you know？
February 1910。
UNDER THE WATERFALL
〃Whenever I plunge my arm； like this；
In a basin of water； I never miss
The sweet sharp sense of a fugitive day
Fetched back from its thickening shroud of gray。
Hence the only prime
And real love…rhyme
That I know by heart；
And that leaves no smart；
Is the purl of a little valley fall
About three spans wide and two spans tall
Over a table of solid rock；
And into a scoop of the self…same block；
The purl of a runlet that never ceases
In stir of kingdoms； in wars； in peaces；
With a hollow boiling voice it speaks
And has spoken since hills were turfless peaks。〃
〃And why gives this the only prime
Idea to you of a real love…rhyme？
And why does plunging your arm in a bowl
Full of spring water； bring throbs to your soul？
Well； under the fall； in a crease of the stone；
Though where precisely none ever has known；
Jammed darkly； nothing to show how prized；
And by now with its smoothness opalized；
Is a drinking…glass：
For； down that pass
My lover and I
Walked under a sky
Of blue with a leaf…woven awning of green；
In the burn of August； to paint the scene；
And we placed our basket of fruit and wine
By the runlet's rim； where we sat to dine；
And when we had drunk from the glass together；
Arched by the oak…copse from the weather；
I held the vessel to rinse in the fall；
Where it slipped； and sank； and was past recall；
Though we stooped and plumbed the little abyss
With long bared arms。 There the glass still is。
And； as said； if I thrust my arm below
Cold water in basin or bowl； a throe
From the past awakens a sense of that time；
And the glass both used； and the cascade's rhyme。
The basin seems the pool； and its edge
The hard smooth face of the brook…side ledge；
And the leafy pattern of china…ware
The hanging plants that were bathing there。
By night； by day； when it shines or lours；
There lies intact that chalice of ours；
And its presence adds to the rhyme of love
Persist