Against love by a feather；
… But crimson one cheek of hers burned
When we came in together。
FIRST SIGHT OF HER AND AFTER
A day is drawing to its fall
I had not dreamed to see；
The first of many to enthrall
My spirit； will it be？
Or is this eve the end of all
Such new delight for me？
I journey home： the pattern grows
Of moonshades on the way：
〃Soon the first quarter； I suppose；〃
Sky…glancing travellers say；
I realize that it； for those；
Has been a common day。
THE RIVAL
I determined to find out whose it was …
The portrait he looked at so； and sighed；
Bitterly have I rued my meanness
And wept for it since he died！
I searched his desk when he was away；
And there was the likenessyes； my own！
Taken when I was the season's fairest；
And time…lines all unknown。
I smiled at my image； and put it back；
And he went on cherishing it； until
I was chafed that he loved not the me then living；
But that past woman still。
Well； such was my jealousy at last；
I destroyed that face of the former me；
Could you ever have dreamed the heart of woman
Would work so foolishly！
HEREDITY
I am the family face；
Flesh perishes； I live on；
Projecting trait and trace
Through time to times anon；
And leaping from place to place
Over oblivion。
The years…heired feature that can
In curve and voice and eye
Despise the human span
Of durancethat is I；
The eternal thing in man；
That heeds no call to die。
〃YOU WERE THE SORT THAT MEN FORGET〃
You were the sort that men forget；
Though Inot yet！ …
Perhaps not ever。 Your slighted weakness
Adds to the strength of my regret！
You'd not the artyou never had
For good or bad …
To make men see how sweet your meaning；
Which； visible； had charmed them glad。
You would； by words inept let fall；
Offend them all；
Even if they saw your warm devotion
Would hold your life's blood at their call。
You lacked the eye to understand
Those friends offhand
Whose mode was crude； though whose dim purport
Outpriced the courtesies of the bland。
I am now the only being who
Remembers you
It may be。 What a waste that Nature
Grudged soul so dear the art its due！
SHE； I； AND THEY
I was sitting；
She was knitting；
And the portraits of our fore…folk hung around；
When there struck on us a sigh；
〃Ahwhat is that？〃 said I：
〃Was it not you？〃 said she。 〃A sigh did sound。〃
I had not breathed it；
Nor the night…wind heaved it；
And how it came to us we could not guess；
And we looked up at each face
Framed and glazed there in its place；
Still hearkening； but thenceforth was silentness。
Half in dreaming；
〃Then its meaning；〃
Said we； 〃must be surely this； that they repine
That we should be the last
Of stocks once unsurpassed；
And unable to keep up their sturdy line。〃
1916。
NEAR LANIVET； 1872
There was a stunted handpost just on the crest；
Only a few feet high：
She was tired； and we stopped in the twilight…time for her rest；
At the crossways close thereby。
She leant back； being so weary； against its stem；
And laid her arms on its own；
Each open palm stretched out to each end of them；
Her sad face sideways thrown。
Her white…clothed form at this dim…lit cease of day
Made her look as one crucified
In my gaze at her from the midst of the dusty way；
And hurriedly 〃Don't；〃 I cried。
I do not think she heard。 Loosing thence she said；
As she stepped forth ready to go；
〃I am rested now。Something strange came into my head；
I wish I had not leant so！〃
And wordless we moved onward down from the hill
In the west cloud's murked obscure；
And looking back we could see the handpost still
In the solitude of the moor。
〃It struck her too；〃 I thought； for as if afraid
She heavily breathed as we trailed；
Till she said； 〃I did not think how 'twould look in the shade；
When I leant there like one nailed。〃
I； lightly： 〃There's nothing in it。 For YOU； anyhow！〃
〃O I know there is not；〃 said she 。 。 。
〃Yet I wonder 。 。 。 If no one is bodily crucified now；
In spirit one may be！〃
And we dragged on and on； while we seemed to see
In the running of Time's far glass
Her crucified； as she had wondered if she might be
Some day。Alas； alas！
JOYS OF MEMORY
When the spring comes round； and a certain day
Looks out from the brume by the eastern copsetrees
And says； Remember；
I begin again； as if it were new；
A day of like date I once lived through；
Whiling it hour by hour away；
So shall I do till my December；
When spring comes round。
I take my holiday then and my rest
Away from the dun life here about me；
Old hours re…greeting
With the quiet sense that bring they must
Such throbs as at first； till I house with dust；
And in the numbness my heartsome zest
For things that were； be past repeating
When spring comes round。
TO THE MOON
〃What have you looked at； Moon；
In your time；
Now long past your prime？〃
〃O； I have looked at； often looked at
Sweet； sublime；
Sore things； shudderful； night and noon
In my time。〃
〃What have you mused on； Moon；
In your day；
So aloof； so far away？〃
〃O； I have mused on； often mused on
Growth； decay；
Nations alive； dead； mad； aswoon；
In my day！〃
〃Have you much wondered； Moon；
On your rounds；
Self…wrapt； beyond Earth's bounds？〃
〃Yea； I have wondered； often wondered
At the sounds
Reaching me of the human tune
On my rounds。〃
〃What do you think of it； Moon；
As you go？
Is Life much； or no？〃
〃O； I think of it； often think of it
As a show
God ought surely to shut up soon；
As I go。〃
COPYING ARCHITECTURE IN AN OLD MINSTER
（Wimborne）
How smartly the quarters of the hour march by
That the jack…o'…clock never forgets；
Ding…dong； and before I have traced a cusp's eye；
Or got the true twist of the ogee over；
A double ding…dong ricochetts。
Just so did he clang here before I came；
And so will he clang when I'm gone
Through the Minster's cavernous hollowsthe same
Tale of hours never more to be will he deliver
To the speechless midnight and dawn！
I grow to conceive it a call to ghosts；
Whose mould lies below and around。
Yes； the next 〃Come； come；〃 draws them out from their posts；
And they gather； and one shade appears； and another；
As the eve…damps creep from the ground。
Seea Courtenay stands by his quatre…foiled tomb；
And a Duke and his Duchess near；
And one Sir Edmund in columned gloom；
And a Saxon king by the presbytery chamber；
And shapes unknown in the rear。
Maybe they have met for a parle on some plan
To better ail…stricken mankind；
I catch their cheepings； though thinner than
The overhead creak of a passager's pinion
When leaving land behind。
Or perhaps they speak to the yet unborn；
And caution them not to come
To a world so ancient and trouble…torn；
Of foiled intents； vain lovingkindness；
And ardours chilled and numb。
They waste to fog as I stir and stand；
And move from the arched recess；
And pick up the drawing that slipped from my hand；
And feel for the pencil I dropped in the cranny
In a moment's forgetfulness。
TO SHAKESPEARE
AFTER THREE HUNDRED YEARS
Bright baffling Soul； least capturable of themes；
Thou； who display'dst a life of common…place；
Leaving no intimate word or personal trace
Of high design outside the artistry
Of thy penned dreams；
Still shalt remain at heart unread eternally。
Through human orbits thy discourse to…day；
Despite thy formal pilgrimage； throbs on
In harmonies that cow Oblivion；
And； like the wind； with all…uncared effect
Maintain a sway
Not fore…desired； in tracks unchosen and unchecked。
And yet； at thy last breath； with mindless note
The borough clocks but samely tongued the hour；
The Avon just as always glassed the tower；
Thy age was published on thy passing…bell
But in due rote
With other dwellers' deaths accorded a like knell。
And at the strokes some townsman （met； maybe；
And thereon queried by some squire's good dame
Driving in shopward） may have given thy name；
With； 〃Yes； a worthy man and well…to…do；
Though； as for me；
I knew him but by just a neighbour's nod； 'tis true。
〃I' faith； few knew him much here； save by word；
He having elsewhere led his busier life；
Though to be sure he left with us his wife。〃
〃Ah； one of the tradesmen's sons； I now recall 。 。 。
Witty； I've heard 。 。 。
We did not know him 。 。 。 Well； good…day。 Death comes to all。〃
So； like a strange bright bird we sometimes find
To mingle with the barn…door brood awhile；
Then vanish from their homely domicile …
Into man's poesy； we wot not whence；
Flew thy strange mind；
Lodged there a radiant guest； and sped for ever thence。
1916。
QUID HIC AGIS？
I
When I weekly knew
An ancient pew；
And murmured there
The forms of prayer
And thanks and praise
In the ancient ways；
And heard read out
During August drought
That chapter from Kings
Harvest…time brings；
… How the prophet； broken
By griefs unspoken；
Went heavily away
To fast and to pray；
And； while waiting to die；
The Lord passed by；
And a whirlwind and fire
Drew nigher and nigher；
And a small voice anon
Bade him up and be gone； …
I did not apprehend
As I sat to the end
And watched for her smile
Across the sunned aisle；
That this tale of a seer
Which came once a year
Might； when sands were heaping；
Be like a sweat creeping；
Or in any degree
Bear on her or on me！
II
When later； by chance
Of circumstance；
It befel me to read
On a hot afternoon
At the lectern there
The selfsame words
As the lesson decreed；
To the gathered few
From the hamlets n