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The feet sustained by track of feet pursued
Pained steps； and found the common brotherhood
By sign of Heaven indifferent； Nature foe。
VII。
Anon a mason's work amazed the sight；
And long…frocked men； called Brothers； there abode。
They pointed up； bowed head； and dug and sowed；
Whereof was shelter； loaf； and warm firelight。
VIII。
What words they taught were nails to scratch the head。
Benignant works explained the chanting brood。
Their monastery lit black solitude；
As one might think a star that heavenward led。
IX。
Uprose a fairer nest for weary feet；
Like some gold flower nightly inward curled；
Where gentle maidens fled a roaring world；
Or played with it； and had their white retreat。
X。
Into big books of metal clasps they pored。
They governed； even as men； they welcomed lays。
The treasures women are whose aim is praise；
Was shown in them： the Garden half restored。
XI。
A deluge billow scoured the land off seas；
With widened jaws； and slaughter was its foam。
For food； for clothing； ambush； refuge； home；
The lesser savage offered bogs and trees。
XII。
Whence reverence round grey…haired story grew：
And inmost spots of ancient horror shone
As temples under beams of trials bygone；
For in them sang brave times with God in view。
XIII。
Till now trim homesteads bordered spaces green；
Like night's first little stars through clearing showers。
Was rumoured how a castle's falcon towers
The wilderness commanded with fierce mien。
XIV。
Therein a serious Baron stuck his lance；
For minstrel songs a beauteous Dame would pout。
Gay knights and sombre； felon or devout；
Pricked onward； bound for their unsung romance。
XV。
It might be that two errant lords across
The block of each came edged； and at sharp cry
They charged forthwith； the better man to try。
One rode his way； one couched on quiet moss。
XVI。
Perchance a lady sweet； whose lord lay slain；
The robbers into gruesome durance drew。
Swift should her hero come； like lightning's blue！
She prayed for him； as crackling drought for rain。
XVII。
As we； that ere the worst her hero haps；
Of Angels guided； nigh that loathly den：
A toady cave beside an ague fen；
Where long forlorn the lone dog whines and yaps。
XVIII。
By daylight now the forest fear could read
Itself； and at new wonders chuckling went。
Straight for the roebuck's neck the bowman spent
A dart that laughed at distance and at speed。
XIX。
Right loud the bugle's hallali elate
Rang forth of merry dingles round the tors；
And deftest hand was he from foreign wars；
But soon he hailed the home…bred yeoman mate。
XX。
Before the blackbird pecked the turf they woke；
At dawn the deer's wet nostrils blew their last。
To forest； haunt of runs and prime repast；
With paying blows； the yokel strained his yoke。
XXI。
The city urchin mooned on forest air；
On grassy sweeps and flying arrows； thick
As swallows o'er smooth streams； and sighed him sick
For thinking that his dearer home was there。
XXII。
Familiar； still unseized； the forest sprang
An old…world echo； like no mortal thing。
The hunter's horn might wind a jocund ring；
But held in ear it had a chilly clang。
XXIII。
Some shadow lurked aloof of ancient time；
Some warning haunted any sound prolonged；
As though the leagues of woodland held them wronged
To hear an axe and see a township climb。
XXIV。
The forest's erewhile emperor at eve
Had voice when lowered heavens drummed for gales。
At midnight a small people danced the dales；
So thin that they might dwindle through a sieve
XXV。
Ringed mushrooms told of them； and in their throats；
Old wives that gathered herbs and knew too much。
The pensioned forester beside his crutch；
Struck showers from embers at those bodeful notes。
XXVI。
Came then the one； all ear； all eye； all heart；
Devourer； and insensibly devoured；
In whom the city over forest flowered；
The forest wreathed the city's drama…mart。
XXVII。
There found he in new form that Dragon old；
From tangled solitudes expelled； and taught
How blindly each its antidote besought；
For either's breath the needs of either told。
XXVIII。
Now deep in woods； with song no sermon's drone；
He showed what charm the human concourse works：
Amid the press of men； what virtue lurks
Where bubble sacred wells of wildness lone。
XXIX。
Our conquest these： if haply we retain
The reverence that ne'er will overrun
Due boundaries of realms from Nature won；
Nor let the poet's awe in rapture wane。
Poem： A Garden Idyl
With sagest craft Arachne worked
Her web； and at a corner lurked；
Awaiting what should plump her soon；
To case it in the death…cocoon。
Sagaciously her home she chose
For visits that would never close；
Inside my chalet…porch her feast
Plucked all the winds but chill North…east。
The finished structure； bar on bar；
Had snatched from light to form a star；
And struck on sight； when quick with dews；
Like music of the very Muse。
Great artists pass our single sense；
We hear in seeing； strung to tense；
Then haply marvel； groan mayhap；
To think such beauty means a trap。
But Nature's genius； even man's
At best； is practical in plans；
Subservient to the needy thought；
However rare the weapon wrought。
As long as Nature holds it good
To urge her creatures' quest for food
Will beauty stamp the just intent
Of weapons upon service bent。
For beauty is a flower of roots
Embedded lower than our boots；
Out of the primal strata springs；
And shows for crown of useful things
Arachne's dream of prey to size
Aspired； so she could nigh despise
The puny specks the breezes round
Supplied； and let them shake unwound；
Assured of her fat fly to come；
Perhaps a blue； the spider's plum；
Who takes the fatal odds in fight；
And gives repast an appetite；
By plunging； whizzing； till his wings
Are webbed； and in the lists he swings；
A shrouded lump； for her to see
Her banquet in her victory。
This matron of the unnumbered threads；
One day of dandelions' heads
Distributing their gray perruques
Up every gust； I watched with looks
Discreet beside the chalet…door；
And gracefully a light wind bore；
Direct upon my webster's wall；
A monster in the form of ball；
The mildest captive ever snared；
That neither struggled nor despaired；
On half the net invading hung；
And plain as in her mother tongue；
While low the weaver cursed her lures；
Remarked； 〃You have me； I am yours。〃
Thrice magnified； in phantom shape；
Her dream of size she saw； agape。
Midway the vast round…raying beard
A desiccated midge appeared；
Whose body pricked the name of meal；
Whose hair had growth in earth's unreal；
Provocative of dread and wrath；
Contempt and horror； in one froth；
Inextricable； insensible；
His poison presence there would dwell；
Declaring him her dream fulfilled；
A catch to compliment the skilled；
And she reduced to beaky skin；
Disgraceful among kith and kin
Against her corner； humped and aged；
Arachne wrinkled； past enraged；
Beyond disgust or hope in guile。
Ridiculously volatile
He seemed to her last spark of mind；
And that in pallid ash declined
Beneath the blow by knowledge dealt；
Wherein throughout her frame she felt
That he； the light wind's libertine；
Without a scoff； without a grin；
And mannered like the courtly few；
Who merely danced when light winds blew；
Impervious to beak and claws；
Tradition's ruinous Whitebeard was；
Of whom； as actors in old scenes；
Had grannam weavers warned their weans；
With word； that less than feather…weight；
He smote the web like bolt of Fate。
This muted drama； hour by hour；
I watched amid a world in flower；
Ere yet Autumnal threads had laid
Their gray…blue o'er the grass's blade；
And still along the garden…run
The blindworm stretched him； drunk of sun。
Arachne crouched unmoved； perchance
Her visitor performed a dance；
She puckered thinner； he the same
As when on that light wind he came。
Next day was told what deeds of night
Were done； the web had vanished quite；
With it the strange opposing pair；
And listless waved on vacant air；
For her adieu to heart's content；
A solitary filament。
Poem： Foresight And Patience
Sprung of the father blood； the mother brain；
Are they who point our pathway and sustain。
They rarely meet； one soars； one walks retired。
When they do meet； it is our earth inspired。
To see Life's formless offspring and subdue
Desire of times unripe； we have these two；
Whose union is right reason： join they hands；
The world shall know itself and where it stands；
What cowering angel and what upright beast
Make man； behold； nor count t