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fought it out It is man to man and breast to breast and eye to
bloodshot eye And the reach and twist of the thrusting wrist； as it
was in the days gone by！
Along the shaken hills the guns their drumming thunder roll
But the keen blades thrill with the lust to kill that leaps from the
slayer's soul！
For hand and heart and living steel； one pulse of hate they feel。 Is
your clan afraid of the naked blade？ Does it flinch from the bitter
steel？ Perish your dreams of conquest then； your swollen hopes and
bold； For empire dwells with the stabbing blade； as it did in the days
of old！
THE BUTCHERS AT PRAYER
（1914）
EACH nation as it draws the sword And flings its standard to the
air Petitions piously the Lord Vexing the void abyss with prayer。
O irony too deep for mirth！ O posturing apes that rant； and dare
This antic attitude！ O Earth； With your wild jest of wicked prayer！
I dare not laugh 。 。 。 a rising swell Of laughter breaks in shrieks
somewhere No doubt they relish it in Hell； This cosmic jest of Earth
at prayer！
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DREAMS & DUST
SHADOWS
HAUNTED
（THE GHOST SPEAKS）
A GHOST is the freak of a sick man's brain？ Then why do ye start
and shiver so？ That's the sob and drip of a leaky drain？ But it sounds
like another noise we know！ The heavy drops drummed red and slow；
The drops ran down as slow as fate Do ye hear them still？it was
long ago！ But here in the shadows I wait； I wait！
Spirits there be that pass in peace； Mine passed in a whorl of wrath
and dole； And the hour that your choking breath shall cease I will get
my grip on your naked soul Nor pity may stay nor prayer cajole I
would drag ye whining from Hell's own gate： To me； to me； ye must
pay the toll！ And here in the shadows I wait； I wait！
The dead they are dead； they are out of the way？ And a ghost is the
whim of an ailing mind？ Then why did ye whiten with fear to…day
When ye heard a voice in the calling wind？ Why did ye falter and look
behind At the creeping mists when the hour grew late？ Ye would see
my face were ye stricken blind！ And here in the shadows I wait； I wait！
Drink and forget； make merry and boast； But the boast rings false
and the jest is thin In the hour that I meet ye ghost to ghost； Stripped
of the flesh that ye skulk within； Stripped to the coward soul 'ware of
its sin； Ye shall learn； ye shall learn； whether dead men hate！
Ah； a weary time has the waiting been； But here in the shadows I wait； I
wait！
A NIGHTMARE
LEAGUES before me； leagues behind； Clamor warring wastes of
flood； All the streams of all the worlds Flung together； mad of mood；
Through the canon beats a sound； Regular of interval； Distant；
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DREAMS & DUST
drumming； muffled； dull； Thunderously rhythmical；
Crafts slip by my startled soul Soul that cowers； a thing apart
They are corpuscles of blood！ That's the throbbing of a heart！ God of
terrors！am I mad？ Through my body； mine own soul； Shrunken to
an atom's size； Voyages toward an unguessed goal！
THE MOTHER
THE mother by the gallows…tree； The gallows…tree； the gallows…tree；
（While the twitching body mocked the sun） Lifted to Heaven her broken
heart And called for sympathy。
Then Mother Mary bent to her； Bent from her place by God's left
side； And whispered： 〃Peacedo I not know？ My son was crucified！〃
〃O Mother Mary；〃 answered she； 〃You cannot； cannot enter in To
my soul's woeyou cannot know For your son wrought no sin！〃
（And men whose work compelled them there； Their hearts were
stricken dead；
They heard the rope creak on the beam； I thought I heard the
frightened ghost Whimpering overhead。）
The mother by the gallows…tree； The gallows…tree； the gallows…tree；
Lifted to Christ her broken heart And called in agony。
Then Lord Christ bent to her and said： 〃Be comforted； be
comforted； I know your grief； the whole world's woe I bore upon my
head。〃
〃But O Lord Christ； you cannot know； No one can know；〃 she said；
〃no one〃 （While the quivering corpse swayed in the wind） 〃Lord Christ；
no one can understand Who never had a son！〃
IN THE BAYOU
LAZY and slow； through the snags and trees Move the sluggish
currents； half asleep； Around and between the cypress knees； Like
black； slow snakes the dark tides creep How deep is the bayou beneath
the trees？ 〃Knee…deep； Knee…deep； Knee…
deep； Knee…deep！〃 Croaks the big bullfrog
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DREAMS & DUST
of Reelfoot Lake From his hiding…place in the draggled brake。
What is the secret the slim reeds know That makes them to shake and
to shiver so； And the scared flags quiver from plume to foot？ The frogs
pipe solemnly； deep and slow： 〃Look under the root！
Look under the root！〃
The hoarse frog croaks and the stark owl hoots Of a mystery moored
in the cypress roots。
Was it love turned hate？ Was it friend turned foe？ Only the frogs and
the gray owl know； For the white moon shrouded her face in a mist At
the spurt of a pistol； red and bright At the sound of a shriek that stabbed
the night And the little reeds were frightened and whist； But always
the eddies whimper and choke； And the frogs would tell if they could； for
they croak： 〃Deep； deep！ Death…deep！
Deep； deep！ Death…deep！〃 And the dark tide
slides and glisters and glides Snakelike over the secret it hides。