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Through yielding pines； and serve with never a slack；
So loud for promptness all around outcries！
March 1917。
THE DEAD AND THE LIVING ONE
The dead woman lay in her first night's grave；
And twilight fell from the clouds' concave；
And those she had asked to forgive forgave。
The woman passing came to a pause
By the heaped white shapes of wreath and cross；
And looked upon where the other was。
And as she mused there thus spoke she：
〃Never your countenance did I see；
But you've been a good good friend to me！〃
Rose a plaintive voice from the sod below：
〃O woman whose accents I do not know；
What is it that makes you approve me so？〃
〃O dead one； ere my soldier went；
I heard him saying； with warm intent；
To his friend； when won by your blandishment：
〃'I would change for that lass here and now！
And if I return I may break my vow
To my present Love； and contrive somehow
〃'To call my own this new…found pearl；
Whose eyes have the light； whose lips the curl；
I always have looked for in a girl！'
〃And this is why that by ceasing to be …
Though never your countenance did I see …
You prove you a good good friend to me；
〃And I pray each hour for your soul's repose
In gratitude for your joining those
No lover will clasp when his campaigns close。〃
Away she turned； when arose to her eye
A martial phantom of gory dye；
That said； with a thin and far…off sigh：
〃O sweetheart； neither shall I clasp you；
For the foe this day has pierced me through；
And sent me to where she is。 Adieu！ …
〃And forget not when the night…wind's whine
Calls over this turf where her limbs recline；
That it travels on to lament by mine。〃
There was a cry by the white…flowered mound；
There was a laugh from underground；
There was a deeper gloom around。
1915。
A NEW YEAR'S EVE IN WAR TIME
I
Phantasmal fears；
And the flap of the flame；
And the throb of the clock；
And a loosened slate；
And the blind night's drone；
Which tiredly the spectral pines intone！
II
And the blood in my ears
Strumming always the same；
And the gable…cock
With its fitful grate；
And myself； alone。
III
The twelfth hour nears
Hand…hid； as in shame；
I undo the lock；
And listen； and wait
For the Young Unknown。
IV
In the dark there careers …
As if Death astride came
To numb all with his knock …
A horse at mad rate
Over rut and stone。
V
No figure appears；
No call of my name；
No sound but 〃Tic…toc〃
Without check。 Past the gate
It clattersis gone。
VI
What rider it bears
There is none to proclaim；
And the Old Year has struck；
And； scarce animate；
The New makes moan。
VII
Maybe that 〃More Tears！ …
More Famine and Flame …
More Severance and Shock！〃
Is the order from Fate
That the Rider speeds on
To pale Europe； and tiredly the pines intone。
1915…1916。
〃I MET A MAN〃
I met a man when night was nigh；
Who said； with shining face and eye
Like Moses' after Sinai：…
〃I have seen the Moulder of Monarchies；
Realms； peoples； plains and hills；
Sitting upon the sunlit seas！ …
And； as He sat； soliloquies
Fell from Him like an antiphonic breeze
That pricks the waves to thrills。
〃Meseemed that of the maimed and dead
Mown down upon the globe； …
Their plenteous blooms of promise shed
Ere fruiting…timeHis words were said；
Sitting against the western web of red
Wrapt in His crimson robe。
〃And I could catch them now and then：
'Why let these gambling clans
Of human Cockers； pit liege men
From mart and city； dale and glen；
In death…mains； but to swell and swell again
Their swollen All…Empery plans；
〃'When a mere nod （if my malign
Compeer but passive keep）
Would mend that old mistake of mine
I made with Saul； and ever consign
All Lords of War whose sanctuaries enshrine
Liberticide； to sleep？
〃'With violence the lands are spread
Even as in Israel's day；
And it repenteth me I bred
Chartered armipotents lust…led
To feuds 。 。 。 Yea； grieves my heart； as then I said；
To see their evil way！'
〃The utterance grew； and flapped like flame；
And further speech I feared；
But no Celestial tongued acclaim；
And no huzzas from earthlings came；
And the heavens mutely masked as 'twere in shame
Till daylight disappeared。〃
Thus ended he as night rode high …
The man of shining face and eye；
Like Moses' after Sinai。
1916。
〃I LOOKED UP FROM MY WRITING〃
I looked up from my writing；
And gave a start to see；
As if rapt in my inditing；
The moon's full gaze on me。
Her meditative misty head
Was spectral in its air；
And I involuntarily said；
〃What are you doing there？〃
〃Oh； I've been scanning pond and hole
And waterway hereabout
For the body of one with a sunken soul
Who has put his life…light out。
〃Did you hear his frenzied tattle？
It was sorrow for his son
Who is slain in brutish battle；
Though he has injured none。
〃And now I am curious to look
Into the blinkered mind
Of one who wants to write a book
In a world of such a kind。〃
Her temper overwrought me；
And I edged to shun her view；
For I felt assured she thought me
One who should drown him too。
THE COMING OF THE END
How it came to an end！
The meeting afar from the crowd；
And the love…looks and laughters unpenned；
The parting when much was avowed；
How it came to an end！
It came to an end；
Yes； the outgazing over the stream；
With the sun on each serpentine bend；
Or； later； the luring moon…gleam；
It came to an end。
It came to an end；
The housebuilding； furnishing； planting；
As if there were ages to spend
In welcoming； feasting； and jaunting；
It came to an end。
It came to an end；
That journey of one day a week：
（〃It always goes on；〃 said a friend；
〃Just the same in bright weathers or bleak；〃）
But it came to an end。
〃HOW will come to an end
This orbit so smoothly begun；
Unless some convulsion attend？〃
I often said。 〃What will be done
When it comes to an end？〃
Well； it came to an end
Quite silentlystopped without jerk；
Better close no prevision could lend；
Working out as One planned it should work
Ere it came to an end。
AFTERWARDS
When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay；
And the May month flaps its glad green leaves like wings；
Delicate…filmed as new…spun silk； will the neighbours say；
〃He was a man who used to notice such things〃？
If it be in the dusk when； like an eyelid's soundless blink；
The dewfall…hawk comes crossing the shades to alight
Upon the wind…warped upland thorn； a gazer may think；
〃To him this must have been a familiar sight。〃
If I pass during some nocturnal blackness； mothy and warm；
When the hedgehog travels furtively over the lawn；
One may say； 〃He strove that such innocent creatures should come to
no harm；
But he could do little for them； and now he is gone〃？
If； when hearing that I have been stilled at last； they stand at the
door；
Watching the full…starred heavens that