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There lies intact that chalice of ours；
And its presence adds to the rhyme of love
Persistently sung by the fall above。
No lip has touched it since his and mine
In turns therefrom sipped lovers' wine。〃
THE SPELL OF THE ROSE
〃I mean to build a hall anon；
And shape two turrets there；
And a broad newelled stair；
And a cool well for crystal water；
Yes； I will build a hall anon；
Plant roses love shall feed upon；
And apple trees and pear。〃
He set to build the manor…hall；
And shaped the turrets there；
And the broad newelled stair；
And the cool well for crystal water；
He built for me that manor…hall；
And planted many trees withal；
But no rose anywhere。
And as he planted never a rose
That bears the flower of love；
Though other flowers throve
A frost…wind moved our souls to sever
Since he had planted never a rose；
And misconceits raised horrid shows；
And agonies came thereof。
〃I'll mend these miseries；〃 then said I；
And so； at dead of night；
I went and； screened from sight；
That nought should keep our souls in severance；
I set a rose…bush。 〃This；〃 said I；
〃May end divisions dire and wry；
And long…drawn days of blight。〃
But I was called from earthyea； called
Before my rose…bush grew；
And would that now I knew
What feels he of the tree I planted；
And whether； after I was called
To be a ghost； he； as of old；
Gave me his heart anew！
Perhaps now blooms that queen of trees
I set but saw not grow；
And he； beside its glow …
Eyes couched of the mis…vision that blurred me …
Ay； there beside that queen of trees
He sees me as I was； though sees
Too late to tell me so！
ST。 LAUNCE'S REVISITED
Slip back； Time！
Yet again I am nearing
Castle and keep； uprearing
Gray； as in my prime。
At the inn
Smiling close； why is it
Not as on my visit
When hope and I were twin？
Groom and jade
Whom I found here； moulder；
Strange the tavern…holder；
Strange the tap…maid。
Here I hired
Horse and man for bearing
Me on my wayfaring
To the door desired。
Evening gloomed
As I journeyed forward
To the faces shoreward；
Till their dwelling loomed。
If again
Towards the Atlantic sea there
I should speed； they'd be there
Surely now as then？ 。 。 。
Why waste thought；
When I know them vanished
Under earth； yea； banished
Ever into nought。
POEMS OF 1912…13
Veteris vestigia flammae
THE GOING
Why did you give no hint that night
That quickly after the morrow's dawn；
And calmly； as if indifferent quite；
You would close your term here； up and be gone
Where I could not follow
With wing of swallow
To gain one glimpse of you ever anon！
Never to bid good…bye；
Or give me the softest call；
Or utter a wish for a word； while I
Saw morning harden upon the wall；
Unmoved； unknowing
That your great going
Had place that moment； and altered all。
Why do you make me leave the house
And think for a breath it is you I see
At the end of the alley of bending boughs
Where so often at dusk you used to be；
Till in darkening dankness
The yawning blankness
Of the perspective sickens me！
You were she who abode
By those red…veined rocks far West；
You were the swan…necked one who rode
Along the beetling Beeny Crest；
And； reining nigh me；
Would muse and eye me；
While Life unrolled us its very best。
Why； then； latterly did we not speak；
Did we not think of those days long dead；
And ere your vanishing strive to seek
That time's renewal？ We might have said；
〃In this bright spring weather
We'll visit together
Those places that once we visited。〃
Well； well！ All's past amend；
Unchangeable。 It must go。
I seem but a dead man held on end
To sink down soon 。 。 。 O you could not know
That such swift fleeing
No soul foreseeing …
Not even Iwould undo me so！
December 1912。
YOUR LAST DRIVE
Here by the moorway you returned；
And saw the borough lights ahead
That lit your faceall undiscerned
To be in a week the face of the dead；
And you told of the charm of that haloed view
That never again would beam on you。
And on your left you passed the spot
Where eight days later you were to lie；
And be spoken of as one who was not；
Beholding it with a cursory eye
As alien from you； though under its tree
You soon would halt everlastingly。
I drove not with you 。 。 。 Yet had I sat
At your side that eve I should not have seen
That the countenance I was glancing at
Had a last…time look in the flickering sheen；
Nor have read the writing upon your face；
〃I go hence soon to my resting…place；
〃You may miss me then。 But I shall not know
How many times you visit me there；
Or what your thoughts are； or if you go
There never at all。 And I shall not care。
Should you censure me I shall take no heed
And even your praises I shall not need。〃
True： never you'll know。 And you will not mind。
But shall I then slight you because of such？
Dear ghost； in the past did you ever find
The thought 〃What profit？〃 move me much
Yet the fact indeed remains the same；
You are past love； praise； indifference； blame。
December 1912。
THE WALK
You did not walk with me
Of late to the hill…top tree
By the gated ways；
As in earlier days；
You were weak and lame；
So you never came；
And I went alone； and I did not mind；
Not thinking of you as left behind。
I walked up there to…day
Just in the former way：
Surveyed around
The familiar ground
By myself again：
What difference； then？
Only that underlying sense
Of the look of a room on returning thence。
RAIN ON A GRAVE
Clouds spout upon her
Their waters amain
In ruthless disdain； …
Her who but lately
Had shivered with pain
As at touch of dishonour
If there had lit on her
So coldly； so straightly
Such arrows of rain。
She who to shelter
Her delicate head
Would quicken and quicken
Each tentative tread
If drops chanced to pelt her
That summertime spills
In dust…paven rills
When thunder…clouds thicken
And birds close their bills。
Would that I lay there
And she were housed here！
Or better； together
Were folded away there
Exposed to one weather
We both；who would stray there
When sunny the day there；
Or evening was clear
At the prime of the year。
Soon will be growing
Green blades from her mound；
And daises be showing
Like stars on the ground；
Till she form part of them …
Aythe sweet heart of them；
Loved beyond measure
With a child's pleasure
All her life's round。
Jan。 31； 1913。
〃I FOUND HER OUT THERE〃
I found her out there
On a slope few see；
That falls westwardly
To the salt…edged air；
Where the ocean breaks
On the purple strand；
And the hurricane shakes
The solid land。
I brought her here；
And have laid her to rest
In a noiseless nest
No sea beats near。
She will never be stirred
In her loamy cell
By the waves long heard
And loved s