Nought seeming imminent；
Something fell sheer； and crashed； and from the floor
Lay glittering at the pair with a shattered gaze；
While their large…pupilled vision swept the scene there；
And the many…eyed thing outleant。
With a start they saw that it was an old…time pier…glass
Which had stood on the mantel near；
Its silvering blemished；yes； as if worn away
By the eyes of the countless dead who had smirked at it
Ere these two ever knew that old…time pier…glass
And its vague and vacant leer。
As he looked； his bride like a moth skimmed forth； and kneeling
Quick； with quivering sighs；
Gathered the pieces under the moon's sly ray；
Unwitting as an automaton what she did；
Till he entreated； hasting to where she was kneeling；
Let it stay where it lies！〃
〃Long years of sorrow this means！〃 breathed the lady
As they retired。 〃Alas！〃
And she lifted one pale hand across her eyes。
〃Don't trouble； Love； it's nothing；〃 the bridegroom said。
〃Long years of sorrow for us！〃 murmured the lady；
〃Or ever this evil pass！〃
And the Spirits Ironic laughed behind the wainscot；
And the Spirits of Pity sighed。
It's good；〃 said the Spirits Ironic； 〃to tickle their minds
With a portent of their wedlock's after…grinds。〃
And the Spirits of Pity sighed behind the wainscot；
〃It's a portent we cannot abide！
〃More； what shall happen to prove the truth of the portent？〃
〃Oh； in brief； they will fade till old；
And their loves grow numbed ere death； by the cark of care。〃
… 〃But nought see we that asks for portents there？ …
'Tis the lot of all。〃〃Well； no less true is a portent
That it fits all mortal mould。〃
THE ROBIN
When up aloft
I fly and fly；
I see in pools
The shining sky；
And a happy bird
Am I； am I！
When I descend
Towards their brink
I stand； and look；
And stoop； and drink；
And bathe my wings；
And chink and prink。
When winter frost
Makes earth as steel
I search and search
But find no meal；
And most unhappy
Then I feel。
But when it lasts；
And snows still fall；
I get to feel
No grief at all；
For I turn to a cold stiff
Feathery ball！
〃I ROSE AND WENT TO ROU'TOR TOWN〃
（She； alone）
I rose and went to Rou'tor Town
With gaiety and good heart；
And ardour for the start；
That morning ere the moon was down
That lit me off to Rou'tor Town
With gaiety and good heart。
When sojourn soon at Rou'tor Town
Wrote sorrows on my face；
I strove that none should trace
The pale and gray； once pink and brown；
When sojourn soon at Rou'tor Town
Wrote sorrows on my face。
The evil wrought at Rou'tor Town
On him I'd loved so true
I cannot tell anew：
But nought can quench； but nought can drown
The evil wrought at Rou'tor Town
On him I'd loved so true！
THE NETTLES
This； then； is the grave of my son；
Whose heart she won！ And nettles grow
Upon his mound； and she lives just below。
How he upbraided me； and left；
And our lives were cleft； because I said
She was hard； unfeeling； caring but to wed。
Well； to see this sight I have fared these miles；
And her firelight smiles from her window there；
Whom he left his mother to cherish with tender care！
It is enough。 I'll turn and go；
Yes； nettles grow where lone lies he；
Who spurned me for seeing what he could not see。
IN A WAITING…ROOM
On a morning sick as the day of doom
With the drizzling gray
Of an English May；
There were few in the railway waiting…room。
About its walls were framed and varnished
Pictures of liners； fly…blown； tarnished。
The table bore a Testament
For travellers' reading； if suchwise bent。
I read it on and on；
And； thronging the Gospel of Saint John；
Were figuresadditions； multiplications …
By some one scrawled； with sundry emendations；
Not scoffingly designed；
But with an absent mind； …
Plainly a bagman's counts of cost；
What he had profited； what lost；
And whilst I wondered if there could have been
Any particle of a soul
In that poor man at all；
To cypher rates of wage
Upon that printed page；
There joined in the charmless scene
And stood over me and the scribbled book
（To lend the hour's mean hue
A smear of tragedy too）
A soldier and wife； with haggard look
Subdued to stone by strong endeavour；
And then I heard
From a casual word
They were parting as they believed for ever。
But next there came
Like the eastern flame
Of some high altar； childrena pair …
Who laughed at the fly…blown pictures there。
〃Here are the lovely ships that we；
Mother； are by and by going to see！
When we get there it's 'most sure to be fine；
And the band will play； and the sun will shine！〃
It rained on the skylight with a din
As we waited and still no train came in；
But the words of the child in the squalid room
Had spread a glory through the gloom。
THE CLOCK…WINDER
It is dark as a cave；
Or a vault in the nave
When the iron door
Is closed； and the floor
Of the church relaid
With trowel and spade。
But the parish…clerk
Cares not for the dark
As he winds in the tower
At a regular hour
The rheumatic clock；
Whose dilatory knock
You can hear when praying
At the day's decaying；
Or at any lone while
From a pew in the aisle。
Up； up from the ground
Around and around
In the turret stair
He clambers； to where
The wheelwork is；
With its tick； click； whizz；
Reposefully measuring
Each day to its end
That mortal men spend
In sorrowing and pleasuring
Nightly thus does he climb
To the trackway of Time。
Him I followed one night
To this place without light；
And； ere I spoke； heard
Him say； word by word；
At the end of his winding；
The darkness unminding：…
〃So I wipe out one more；
My Dear； of the sore
Sad days that still be；
Like a drying Dead Sea；
Between you and me！〃
Who she was no man knew：
He had long borne him blind
To all womankind；
And was ever one who
Kept his past out of view。
OLD EXCURSIONS
〃What's the good of going to Ridgeway；
Cerne； or Sydling Mill；
Or to Yell'ham Hill；
Blithely bearing Casterbridge…way
As we used to do？
She will no more climb up there；
Or be visible anywhere
In those haunts we knew。〃
But to…night； while walking weary；
Near me seemed her shade；
Come as 'twere to upbraid
This my mood in deeming dreary
Scenes that used to please；
And； if she did come to me；
Still solicitous； there may be
Good in going to these。
So； I'll care to roam to Ridgeway；
Cerne； or Sydling Mill；
Or to Yell'ham Hill；
Blithely bearing Casterbridge…way
As we used to do；
Since her phasm may flit out there；
And may greet me anywhere
In those haunts we knew。
April 1913。
THE MASKED FACE
I found me in a great surging space；
At either end a door；
And I said： 〃What is this giddying place；
With no firm…fixed floor；
That I knew not of before？〃
〃It is Life；〃 said a mask…clad face。
I asked： 〃But how do I come here；
Who never wished to come；
Can the light and air be made more clear；
The floor more quietsome；
And the doors set wide？ They numb
Fast…locked； and fill with fear。〃
The mask put on a bleak smile then；
And said； 〃O vassal…wight；
There once complained a goosequill pen
To the scribe of the Infinite
Of the words it had to write
Because they were past its ken。〃
IN A WHISPERING GALLERY
That whisper takes the voice
Of a Spirit's compassionings
Close； but invisible；
And throws me under a spell
At the kindling vision it brings；
And for a moment I rejoice；
And believe in transcendent things
That would mould from this muddy earth
A spot for the splendid birth
Of everlasting lives；
Whereto no night arrives；
And this gaunt gray gallery
A tabernacle of worth
On this drab…aired afternoon；
When you can barely see
Across its hazed lacune
If opposite aught there be
Of fleshed humanity
Wherewith I may commune；
Or if the voice so near
Be a soul's voice floating here。
THE SOMETHING THAT SAVED HIM
It was when
Whirls of thick waters laved me
Again and again；
That something arose and saved me；
Yea； it was then。
In that day
Unseeing the azure went I
On my way；
And to white winter bent I；
Knowing no May。
Reft of renown；
Under the night clouds beating
Up and down；
In my needfulness greeting
Cit and clown。
Long there had been
Much of a murky colour
In the scene；
Dull prospects meeting duller；
Nought between。
Last； there loomed
A closing…in blind alley；
Though there boomed
A feeble summons to rally
Where it gloomed。
The clock rang；
The hour brought a hand to deliver；
I upsprang；
And looked back at den； ditch and river；
And sang。
THE ENEMY'S PORTRAIT
He saw the portrait of his enemy； offered
At auction in a street he journeyed nigh；
That enemy； now late dead； who in his life…time
Had injured deeply him the passer…by。
〃To get that picture； pleased be God； I'll try；
And utterly destroy it； and no more
Shall be inflicted on man's mortal eye
A countenance so sinister and sore！〃
And so he bought the painting。 Driving homeward；
〃The frame will come in useful；〃 he declared；
〃The rest is fuel。〃 On his arrival； weary；
Asked what he bore with him； and how he fared；
He said he had bid for a picture； though he cared
For the frame only： on the morrow he
Would burn the canvas； which could well be spared；
Seeing that it portrayed his enemy。
Next day some other duty found him busy；
The foe was laid his face against the wall；
But on the next he set himself to loosen
The straining…strips。 And then a casual call
Prevented his proceeding therewithal；
And thus the picture waited； day by day；
Its owner's pleasure； like a wretched thrall；
Until a month and more had slipped away。
And then upon a morn he found it shifted；
Hung in a corner by a servitor。
〃Why did you take on you to hang that picture？
You know it was the frame I bought it for。〃
〃It stood in the way of every visitor；
And I just hitched it there。〃〃Well； it must go：
I