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And saunterers pass with laugh and jest …
A handsome couple among the rest。
〃That smart proud pair；〃 says the man to his friend；
〃Are to marry next week 。 。 。 How little he thinks
That dozens of days and nights on end
I have stroked her neck； unhooked the links
Of her sleeve to get at her upper arm 。 。 。
Well； bliss is in ignorance： what's the harm！〃
VI IN THE CEMETERY
〃You see those mothers squabbling there？〃
Remarks the man of the cemetery。
One says in tears； ''Tis mine lies here！'
Another； 'Nay； mine； you Pharisee！'
Another； 'How dare you move my flowers
And put your own on this grave of ours！'
But all their children were laid therein
At different times； like sprats in a tin。
〃And then the main drain had to cross；
And we moved the lot some nights ago；
And packed them away in the general foss
With hundreds more。 But their folks don't know；
And as well cry over a new…laid drain
As anything else； to ease your pain！〃
VIIOUTSIDE THE WINDOW
〃My stick！〃 he says； and turns in the lane
To the house just left； whence a vixen voice
Comes out with the firelight through the pane；
And he sees within that the girl of his choice
Stands rating her mother with eyes aglare
For something said while he was there。
〃At last I behold her soul undraped！〃
Thinks the man who had loved her more than himself；
〃My God'tis but narrowly I have escaped。 …
My precious porcelain proves it delf。〃
His face has reddened like one ashamed；
And he steals off； leaving his stick unclaimed。
VIIIIN THE STUDY
He enters； and mute on the edge of a chair
Sits a thin…faced lady； a stranger there；
A type of decayed gentility；
And by some small signs he well can guess
That she comes to him almost breakfastless。
〃I have calledI hope I do not err …
I am looking for a purchaser
Of some score volumes of the works
Of eminent divines I own； …
Left by my fatherthough it irks
My patience to offer them。〃 And she smiles
As if necessity were unknown；
〃But the truth of it is that oftenwhiles
I have wished； as I am fond of art；
To make my rooms a little smart。〃
And lightly still she laughs to him；
As if to sell were a mere gay whim；
And that； to be frank； Life were indeed
To her not vinegar and gall；
But fresh and honey…like； and Need
No household skeleton at all。
IXAT THE ALTAR…RAIL
〃My bride is not coming； alas！〃 says the groom；
And the telegram shakes in his hand。 〃I own
It was hurried！ We met at a dancing…room
When I went to the Cattle…Show alone；
And then； next night； where the Fountain leaps；
And the Street of the Quarter…Circle sweeps。
〃Ay； she won me to ask her to be my wife …
'Twas foolish perhaps！to forsake the ways
Of the flaring town for a farmer's life。
She agreed。 And we fixed it。 Now she says：
'It's sweet of you； dear； to prepare me a nest；
But a swift； short； gay life suits me best。
What I really am you have never gleaned；
I had eaten the apple ere you were weaned。'〃
XIN THE NUPTIAL CHAMBER
〃O that mastering tune？〃 And up in the bed
Like a lace…robed phantom springs the bride；
〃And why？〃 asks the man she had that day wed；
With a start； as the band plays on outside。
〃It's the townsfolks' cheery compliment
Because of our marriage； my Innocent。〃
〃O but you don't know！ 'Tis the passionate air
To which my old Love waltzed with me；
And I swore as we spun that none should share
My home； my kisses； till death； save he！
And he dominates me and thrills me through；
And it's he I embrace while embracing you！〃
XIIN THE RESTAURANT
〃But hear。 If you stay； and the child be born；
It will pass as your husband's with the rest；
While； if we fly； the teeth of scorn
Will be gleaming at us from east to west；
And the child will come as a life despised；
I feel an elopement is ill…advised！〃
〃O you realize not what it is； my dear；
To a woman！ Daily and hourly alarms
Lest the truth should out。 How can I stay here；
And nightly take him into my arms！
Come to the child no name or fame；
Let us go； and face it； and bear the shame。〃
XIIAT THE DRAPER'S
〃I stood at the back of the shop； my dear；
But you did not perceive me。
Well； when they deliver what you were shown
_I_ shall know nothing of it； believe me！〃
And he coughed and coughed as she paled and said；
〃O； I didn't see you come in there …
Why couldn't you speak？〃〃Well； I didn't。 I left
That you should not notice I'd been there。
〃You were viewing some lovely things。 'Soon required
For a widow； of latest fashion'；
And I knew 'twould upset you to meet the man
Who had to be cold and ashen
〃And screwed in a box before they could dress you
'In the last new note in mourning；'
As they defined it。 So； not to distress you；
I left you to your adorning。〃
XIIION THE DEATH…BED
〃I'll tellbeing past all praying for …
Then promptly die 。 。 。 He was out at the war；
And got some scent of the intimacy
That was under way between her and me；
And he stole back home； and appeared like a ghost
One night； at the very time almost
That I reached her house。 Well； I shot him dead；
And secretly buried him。 Nothing was said。
〃The news of the battle came next day；
He was scheduled missing。 I hurried away；
Got out there； visited the field；
And sent home word that a search revealed
He was one of the slain； though； lying alone
And stript； his body had not been known。
〃But she suspected。 I lost her love；
Yea； my hope of earth； and of Heaven above；
And my time's now come； and I'll pay the score；
Though it be burning for evermore。〃
XIVOVER THE COFFIN
They stand confronting； the coffin between；
His wife of old； and his wife of late；
And the dead man whose they both had been
Seems listening aloof； as to things past date。
〃I have called；〃 says the first。 〃Do you marvel or not？〃
〃In truth；〃 says the second； 〃I dosomewhat。〃
〃Well； there was a word to be said by me！ 。 。 。
I divorced that man because of you …
It seemed I must do it； boundenly；
But now I am older； and tell you true；
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；
A