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That is only God you hear；
Counting up His folded sheep！
Lullabyelullabye
That is only God that calls；
Missing me； seeking me；
Ere the road to nothing falls！
He will set His mighty feet
Firmly on the sliding sand；
Like a little frightened bird
I will creep into His hand；
I will tell Him all my grief；
I will tell Him all my sin；
He will give me half His robe
For a cloak to wrap you in。
Lullabyelullabye〃
Rocks the burnt…out planet free！
Father； Son and Holy Ghost；
Reach a hand and rescue me！
Ah； the voice of love at last！
Lo； at last the face of light！
And the whole of His white robe
For a cloak against the night！
And upon my heart asleep
All the things I ever knew！
〃Holds Heaven not some cranny； Lord；
For a flower so tall and blue？〃
All's well and all's well！
Gay the lights of Heaven show！
In some moist and Heavenly place
We will set it out to grow。
JOURNEY
Ah； could I lay me down in this long grass
And close my eyes； and let the quiet wind
Blow over meI am so tired； so tired
Of passing pleasant places！ All my life；
Following Care along the dusty road；
Have I looked back at loveliness and sighed；
Yet at my hand an unrelenting hand
Tugged ever； and I passed。 All my life long
Over my shoulder have I looked at peace；
And now I fain would lie in this long grass
And close my eyes。
Yet onward！
Cat birds call
Through the long afternoon； and creeks at dusk
Are guttural。 Whip…poor…wills wake and cry；
Drawing the twilight close about their throats。
Only my heart makes answer。 Eager vines
Go up the rocks and wait； flushed apple…trees
Pause in their dance and break the ring for me；
Dim； shady wood…roads； redolent of fern
And bayberry； that through sweet bevies thread
Of round…faced roses； pink and petulant；
Look back and beckon ere they disappear。
Only my heart； only my heart responds。
Yet； ah； my path is sweet on either side
All through the dragging day；sharp underfoot
And hot； and like dead mist the dry dust hangs
But far； oh； far as passionate eye can reach；
And long； ah； long as rapturous eye can cling；
The world is mine： blue hill； still silver lake；
Broad field； bright flower； and the long white road
A gateless garden； and an open path：
My feet to follow； and my heart to hold。
EEL…GRASS
No matter what I say；
All that I really love
Is the rain that flattens on the bay；
And the eel…grass in the cove；
The jingle…shells that lie and bleach
At the tide…line； and the trace
Of higher tides along the beach：
Nothing in this place。
ELEGY BEFORE DEATH
There will be rose and rhododendron
When you are dead and under ground；
Still will be heard from white syringas
Heavy with bees； a sunny sound；
Still will the tamaracks be raining
After the rain has ceased； and still
Will there be robins in the stubble；
Brown sheep upon the warm green hill。
Spring will not ail nor autumn falter；
Nothing will know that you are gone；
Saving alone some sullen plough…land
None but yourself sets foot upon；
Saving the may…weed and the pig…weed
Nothing will know that you are dead；
These； and perhaps a useless wagon
Standing beside some tumbled shed。
Oh； there will pass with your great passing
Little of beauty not your own；
Only the light from common water；
Only the grace from simple stone！
THE BEAN…STALK
Ho； Giant！ This is I！
I have built me a bean…stalk into your sky！
La；but it's lovely； up so high！
This is how I came；I put
Here my knee； there my foot；
Up and up； from shoot to shoot
And the blessed bean…stalk thinning
Like the mischief all the time；
Till it took me rocking； spinning；
In a dizzy； sunny circle；
Making angles with the root；
Far and out above the cackle
Of the city I was born in；
Till the little dirty city
In the light so sheer and sunny
Shone as dazzling bright and pretty
As the money that you find
In a dream of finding money
What a wind！ What a morning！
Till the tiny； shiny city；
When I shot a glance below；
Shaken with a giddy laughter；
Sick and blissfully afraid；
Was a dew…drop on a blade；
And a pair of moments after
Was the whirling guess I made；
And the wind was like a whip
Cracking past my icy ears；
And my hair stood out behind；
And my eyes were full of tears；
Wide…open and cold；
More tears than they could hold；
The wind was blowing so；
And my teeth were in a row；
Dry and grinning；
And I felt my foot slip；
And I scratched the wind and whined；
And I clutched the stalk and jabbered；
With my eyes shut blind；
What a wind！ What a wind！
Your broad sky； Giant；
Is the shelf of a cupboard；
I make bean…stalks； I'm
A builder； like yourself；
But bean…stalks is my trade；
I couldn't make a shelf；
Don't know how they're made；
Now； a bean…stalk is more pliant
La； what a climb！
WEEDS
White with daisies and red with sorrel
And empty； empty under the sky！
Life is a quest and love a quarrel
Here is a place for me to lie。
Daisies spring from damned seeds；
And this red fire that here I see
Is a worthless crop of crimson weeds；
Cursed by farmers thriftily。
But here； unhated for an hour；
The sorrel runs in ragged flame；
The daisy stands； a bastard flower；
Like flowers that bear an honest name。
And here a while； where no wind brings
The baying of a pack athirst；
May sleep the sleep of blessed things；
The blood too bright； the brow accurst。
PASSER MORTUUS EST
Death devours all lovely things；
Lesbia with her sparrow
Shares the darkness；presently
Every bed is narrow。
Unremembered as old rain
Dries the sheer libation；
And the little petulant hand
Is an annotation。
After all； my erstwhile dear；
My no longer cherished；
Need we say it was not love；
Now that love is perished？
PASTORAL
If it were only still！
With far away the shrill
Crying of a cock；
Or the shaken bell
From a cow's throat
Moving through the bushes；
Or the soft shock
Of wizened apples falling
From an old tree
In a forgotten orchard
Upon the hilly rock！
Oh； grey hill；
Where the grazing herd
Licks the purple blossom；
Crops the spiky weed！
Oh； stony pasture；
Where the tall mullein
Stands up so sturdy
On its little seed！
ASSAULT
I
I had forgotten how the frogs must sound
After a year of silence； else I think
I should not so have ventured forth alone
At dusk upon this unfrequented road。
II
I am waylaid by Beauty。 Who will walk
Between me and the crying of the frogs？
Oh； savage Beauty； suffer me to pass；
That am a timid woman； on her way
From one house to ano