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Yet I still stalk the course； …
One of us 。 。 。 Dark and fair He； dark and fair She； gone：
The restanon。
THE WIND'S PROPHECY
I travel on by barren farms；
And gulls glint out like silver flecks
Against a cloud that speaks of wrecks；
And bellies down with black alarms。
I say： 〃Thus from my lady's arms
I go； those arms I love the best！〃
The wind replies from dip and rise；
〃Nay； toward her arms thou journeyest。〃
A distant verge morosely gray
Appears； while clots of flying foam
Break from its muddy monochrome；
And a light blinks up far away。
I sigh： 〃My eyes now as all day
Behold her ebon loops of hair！〃
Like bursting bonds the wind responds；
〃Nay； wait for tresses flashing fair！〃
From tides the lofty coastlands screen
Come smitings like the slam of doors；
Or hammerings on hollow floors；
As the swell cleaves through caves unseen。
Say I： 〃Though broad this wild terrene；
Her city home is matched of none！〃
From the hoarse skies the wind replies：
〃Thou shouldst have said her sea…bord one。〃
The all…prevailing clouds exclude
The one quick timorous transient star；
The waves outside where breakers are
Huzza like a mad multitude。
〃Where the sun ups it； mist…imbued；〃
I cry； 〃there reigns the star for me！〃
The wind outshrieks from points and peaks：
〃Here； westward； where it downs； mean ye！〃
Yonder the headland； vulturine；
Snores like old Skrymer in his sleep；
And every chasm and every steep
Blackens as wakes each pharos…shine。
〃I roam； but one is safely mine；〃
I say。 〃God grant she stay my own！〃
Low laughs the wind as if it grinned：
〃Thy Love is one thou'st not yet known。〃
Rewritten from an old copy。
DURING WIND AND RAIN
They sing their dearest songs …
He； she； all of themyea；
Treble and tenor and bass；
And one to play；
With the candles mooning each face 。 。 。
Ah； no； the years O！
How the sick leaves reel down in throngs！
They clear the creeping moss …
Elders and juniorsaye；
Making the pathways neat
And the garden gay；
And they build a shady seat 。 。 。
Ah； no； the years； the years；
See； the white storm…birds wing across！
They are blithely breakfasting all …
Men and maidensyea；
Under the summer tree；
With a glimpse of the bay；
While pet fowl come to the knee 。 。 。
Ah； no； the years O！
And the rotten rose is ript from the wall。
They change to a high new house；
He； she； all of themaye；
Clocks and carpets and chairs
On the lawn all day；
And brightest things that are theirs 。 。 。
Ah； no； the years； the years；
Down their carved names the rain…drop ploughs。
HE PREFERS HER EARTHLY
This after…sunset is a sight for seeing；
Cliff…heads of craggy cloud surrounding it。
And dwell you in that glory…show？
You may； for there are strange strange things in being；
Stranger than I know。
Yet if that chasm of splendour claim your presence
Which glows between the ash cloud and the dun；
How changed must be your mortal mould！
Changed to a firmament…riding earthless essence
From what you were of old：
All too unlike the fond and fragile creature
Then known to me 。 。 。 Well； shall I say it plain？
I would not have you thus and there；
But still would grieve on； missing you； still feature
You as the one you were。
THE DOLLS
〃Whenever you dress me dolls； mammy；
Why do you dress them so；
And make them gallant soldiers；
When never a one I know；
And not as gentle ladies
With frills and frocks and curls；
As people dress the dollies
Of other little girls？〃
Ahwhy did she not answer：…
〃Because your mammy's heed
Is always gallant soldiers；
As well may be； indeed。
One of them was your daddy；
His name I must not tell；
He's not the dad who lives here；
But one I love too well。〃
MOLLY GONE
No more summer for Molly and me；
There is snow on the tree；
And the blackbirds plump large as the rooks are； almost；
And the water is hard
Where they used to dip bills at the dawn ere her figure was lost
To these coasts； now my prison close…barred。
No more planting by Molly and me
Where the beds used to be
Of sweet…william； no training the clambering rose
By the framework of fir
Now bowering the pathway； whereon it swings gaily and blows
As if calling commendment from her。
No more jauntings by Molly and me
To the town by the sea；
Or along over Whitesheet to Wynyard's green Gap；
Catching Montacute Crest
To the right against Sedgmoor； and Corton…Hill's far…distant cap；
And Pilsdon and Lewsdon to west。
No more singing by Molly to me
In the evenings when she
Was in mood and in voice； and the candles were lit；
And past the porch…quoin
The rays would spring out on the laurels； and dumbledores hit
On the pane； as if wishing to join。
Where； then； is Molly； who's no more with me？
As I stand on this lea；
Thinking thus； there's a many…flamed star in the air；
That tosses a sign
That her glance is regarding its face from her home； so that there
Her eyes may have meetings with mine。
A BACKWARD SPRING
The trees are afraid to put forth buds；
And there is timidity in the grass；
The plots lie gray where gouged by spuds；
And whether next week will pass
Free of sly sour winds is the fret of each bush
Of barberry waiting to bloom。
Yet the snowdrop's face betrays no gloom；
And the primrose pants in its heedless push；
Though the myrtle asks if it's worth the fight
This year with frost and rime
To venture one more time
On delicate leaves and buttons of white
From the selfsame bough as at last year's prime；
And never to ruminate on or remember
What happened to it in mid…December。
April 1917。
LOOKING ACROSS
I
It is dark in the sky；
And silence is where
Our laughs rang high；
And recall do I
That One is out there。
II
The dawn is not nigh；
And the trees are bare；
And the waterways sigh
That a year has drawn by；
And Two are out there。
III
The wind drops to die
Like the phantom of Care
Too frail for a cry；
And heart brings to eye
That Three are out there。
IV
This Life runs dry
That once ran rare
And rosy in dye；
And fleet the days fly；
And Four are out there。
V
Tired； tired am I
Of this earthly air；
And my wraith asks： Why；
Since these calm lie；
Are not Five out there？
December 1915。
AT A SEASIDE TOWN IN 1869
（Young Lover's Reverie）
I went and stood outside myself；
Spelled the dark sky
And ship…lights nigh；
And grumbling winds that passed thereby。
Then next inside myself I looked；
And there； above
All； shone my Love；
That nothing matched the image of。
Beyond myself again I ranged；
And saw the free
Life by the sea；
And folk indifferent to me。
O 'twas a charm to draw within
Thereafter； where
But she was； care
For one thing only； her hid there！
But so it chanced； without myself
I had to look；
And then I took
More heed of what I had long forsook：