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are they to praise their father for his insight if we die？ Do you hear them？
Do you hear them overhead the children singing？ Do you hear them？
Do you hear the children？〃
〃Damn the children！〃
〃Why？ What have THEY done？ 。 。 。 Well； then； do it。 。 。 。 Do it now；
and have it over。〃
〃Oh； you devil！ 。 。 。 Oh； you。 。 。 。〃
〃No； I'm not a devil； I'm a prophet One who sees the end already of
so much that one end more Would have now the small importance of one
other small illusion； Which in turn would have a welcome where the rest
have gone before。 But if I were you； my fancy would look on a little
farther For the glimpse of a release that may be somewhere still in sight。
Furthermore； you must remember those two hundred invitations For the
dancing after dinner。 We shall have to shine tonight。 We shall dance； and
be as happy as a pair of merry spectres； On the grave of all the lies that we
shall never have to tell； We shall dance among the ruins of the tomb of our
endurance； And I have not a doubt that we shall do it very well。 There！
I'm glad you've put it back； for I don't like it。 Shut the drawer now。 No
no don't cancel anything。 I'll dance until I drop。 I can't walk yet； but I'm
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going to。 。 。 。 Go away somewhere； and leave me。 。 。 。 Oh； you children！
Oh； you children！ 。 。 。 God； will they never stop！〃
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
Tasker Norcross
〃Whether all towns and all who live in them So long as they be
somewhere in this world That we in our complacency call ours Are
more or less the same； I leave to you。 I should say less。 Whether or not；
meanwhile； We've all two legs and as for that； we haven't There were
three kinds of men where I was born： The good； the not so good； and
Tasker Norcross。 Now there are two kinds。〃
〃Meaning； as I divine； Your friend is dead；〃 I ventured。
Ferguson； Who talked himself at last out of the world He censured；
and is therefore silent now； Agreed indifferently： 〃My friends are dead
Or most of them。〃
〃Remember one that isn't；〃 I said； protesting。 〃Honor him for his ears；
Treasure him also for his understanding。〃 Ferguson sighed； and then talked
on again： 〃You have an overgrown alacrity For saying nothing much and
hearing less； And I've a thankless wonder； at the start； How much it is to
you that I shall tell What I have now to say of Tasker Norcross； And how
much to the air that is around you。 But given a patience that is not averse
To the slow tragedies of haunted men Horrors； in fact； if you've a skilful
eye To know them at their firesides； or out walking； 〃
〃Horrors；〃 I said； 〃are my necessity； And I would have them； for their
best effect； Always out walking。〃
Ferguson frowned at me： 〃The wisest of us are not those who laugh
Before they know。 Most of us never know Or the long toil of our
mortality Would not be done。 Most of us never know And there you
have a reason to believe In God； if you may have no other。 Norcross； Or so
I gather of his infirmity； Was given to know more than he should have
known； And only God knows why。 See for yourself An old house full of
ghosts of ancestors； Who did their best； or worst； and having done it； Died
honorably； and each with a distinction That hardly would have been for
him that had it； Had honor failed him wholly as a friend。 Honor that is a
friend begets a friend。 Whether or not we love him； still we have him； And
we must live somehow by what we have； Or then we die。 If you say
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
chemistry； Then you must have your molecules in motion； And in their
right abundance。 Failing either； You have not long to dance。 Failing a
friend； A genius； or a madness； or a faith Larger than desperation； you are
here For as much longer than you like as may be。 Imagining now； by way
of an example； Myself a more or less remembered phantom Again； I
should say less how many times A day should I come back to you？ No
answer。 Forgive me when I seem a little careless； But we must have
examples； or be lucid Without them； and I question your adherence To
such an undramatic narrative As this of mine； without the personal hook。〃
〃A time is given in Ecclesiastes For divers works；〃 I told him。 〃Is there
one For saying nothing in return for nothing？ If not； there should be。〃 I
could feel his eyes； And they were like two cold inquiring points Of a
sharp metal。 When I looked again； To see them shine； the cold that I had
felt Was gone to make way for a smouldering Of lonely fire that I； as I
knew then； Could never quench with kindness or with lies。 I should have
done whatever there was to do For Ferguson； yet I could not have
mourned In honesty for once around the clock The loss of him； for my
sake or for his； Try as I might； nor would his ghost approve； Had I the
power and the unthinking will To make him tread again without an aim
The road that was behind him and without The faith； or friend； or genius；
or the madness That he contended was imperative。
After a silence that had been too long； 〃It may be quite as well we
don't；〃 he said； 〃As well； I mean； that we don't always say it。 You know
best what I mean； and I suppose You might have said it better。 What was
that？ Incorrigible？ Am I incorrigible？ Well； it's a word； and a word has its
use； Or； like a man； it will soon have a grave。 It's a good word enough。
Incorrigible； May be； for all I know； the word for Norcross。 See for
yourself that house of his again That he called home： An old house；
painted white； Square as a box； and chillier than a tomb To look at or to
live in。 There were trees Too many of them； if such a thing may be
Before it and around it。 Down in front There was a road； a railroad； and a
river； Then there were hills behind it； and more trees。 The thing would
fairly stare at you through trees； Like a pale inmate out of a bar