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His stiffened fingers。 Through the smut
Gleam red the wounds which will not shut。
Wet through and shivering he kneels
And digs the slippery coals； like eels
They slide about。 His force all spent；
He counts his small accomplishment。
A half…a…dozen clinker…coals
Which still have fire in their souls。
Fire！ And in his thought there burns
The topaz fire of votive urns。
He sees it fling from hill to hill；
And still consumed； is burning still。
Higher and higher leaps the flame；
The smoke an ever…shifting frame。
He sees a Spanish Castle old；
With silver steps and paths of gold。
From myrtle bowers comes the plash
Of fountains； and the emerald flash
Of parrots in the orange trees；
Whose blossoms pasture humming bees。
He knows he feeds the urns whose smoke
Bears visions； that his master…stroke
Is out of dirt and misery
To light the fire of poesy。
He sees the glory； yet he knows
That others cannot see his shows。
To them his smoke is sightless； black；
His votive vessels but a pack
Of old discarded shards； his fire
A peddler's； still to him the pyre
Is incensed； an enduring goal！
He sighs and grubs another coal。
Storm…Racked
How should I sing when buffeting salt waves
And stung with bitter surges； in whose might
I toss； a cockleshell？ The dreadful night
Marshals its undefeated dark and raves
In brutal madness； reeling over graves
Of vanquished men； long…sunken out of sight；
Sent wailing down to glut the ghoulish sprite
Who haunts foul seaweed forests and their caves。
No parting cloud reveals a watery star；
My cries are washed away upon the wind；
My cramped and blistering hands can find no spar；
My eyes with hope o'erstrained； are growing blind。
But painted on the sky great visions burn；
My voice； oblation from a shattered urn！
Convalescence
From out the dragging vastness of the sea；
Wave…fettered； bound in sinuous； seaweed strands；
He toils toward the rounding beach； and stands
One moment； white and dripping； silently；
Cut like a cameo in lazuli；
Then falls； betrayed by shifting shells； and lands
Prone in the jeering water； and his hands
Clutch for support where no support can be。
So up； and down； and forward； inch by inch；
He gains upon the shore； where poppies glow
And sandflies dance their little lives away。
The sucking waves retard； and tighter clinch
The weeds about him； but the land…winds blow；
And in the sky there blooms the sun of May。
Patience
Be patient with you？
When the stooping sky
Leans down upon the hills
And tenderly； as one who soothing stills
An anguish； gathers earth to lie
Embraced and girdled。 Do the sun…filled men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
When the snow…girt earth
Cracks to let through a spurt
Of sudden green； and from the muddy dirt
A snowdrop leaps； how mark its worth
To eyes frost…hardened； and do weary men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
When pain's iron bars
Their rivets tighten； stern
To bend and break their victims； as they turn；
Hopeless； there stand the purple jars
Of night to spill oblivion。 Do these men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
You！ My sun and moon！
My basketful of flowers！
My money…bag of shining dreams！ My hours；
Windless and still； of afternoon！
You are my world and I your citizen。
What meaning can have patience then？
Apology
Be not angry with me that I bear
Your colours everywhere；
All through each crowded street；
And meet
The wonder…light in every eye；
As I go by。
Each plodding wayfarer looks up to gaze；
Blinded by rainbow haze；
The stuff of happiness；
No less；
Which wraps me in its glad…hued folds
Of peacock golds。
Before my feet the dusty； rough…paved way
Flushes beneath its gray。
My steps fall ringed with light；
So bright；
It seems a myriad suns are strown
About the town。
Around me is the sound of steepled bells；
And rich perfumed smells
Hang like a wind…forgotten cloud；
And shroud
Me from close contact with the world。
I dwell impearled。
You blazon me with jewelled insignia。
A flaming nebula
Rims in my life。 And yet
You set
The word upon me； unconfessed
To go unguessed。
A Petition
I pray to be the tool which to your hand
Long use has shaped and moulded till it be
Apt for your need； and； unconsideringly；
You take it for its service。 I demand
To be forgotten in the woven strand
Which grows the multi…coloured tapestry
Of your bright life； and through its tissues lie
A hidden； strong； sustaining； grey…toned band。
I wish to dwell around your daylight dreams；
The railing to the stairway of the clouds；
To guard your steps securely up； where streams
A faery moonshine washing pale the crowds
Of pointed stars。 Remember not whereby
You mount； protected； to the far…flung sky。
A Blockhead
Before me lies a mass of shapeless days；
Unseparated atoms； and I must
Sort them apart and live them。 Sifted dust
Covers the formless heap。 Reprieves； delays；
There are none； ever。 As a monk who prays
The sliding beads asunder； so I thrust
Each tasteless particle aside； and just
Begin again the task which never stays。
And I have known a glory of great suns；
When days flashed by； pulsing with joy and fire！
Drunk bubbled wine in goblets of desire；
And felt the whipped blood laughing as it runs！
Spilt is that liquor； my too hasty hand
Threw down the cup； and did not understand。
Stupidity
Dearest； forgive that with my clumsy touch
I broke and bruised your rose。
I hardly could suppose
It were a thing so fragile that my clutch
Could kill it； thus。
It stood so proudly up upon its stem；
I knew no thought of fear；
And coming very near
Fell； overbalanced； to your garment's hem；
Tearing it down。
Now； stooping； I upgather； one by one；
The crimson petals； all
Outspread about my fall。
They hold their fragrance still； a blood…red cone
Of memory。
And with my words I carve a little jar
To keep their scented dust；
Which； opening； you must
Breathe to your soul； and； breathing； know me far
More grieved than you。
Irony
An arid daylight shines along the beach
Dried to a grey monotony of tone；
And stranded jelly…fish melt soft upon
The sun…baked pebbles； far beyond their reach
Sparkles a wet； reviving sea。 Here bleach
The skeletons of fishes； every bone
Polished and stark； like traceries of stone；
The joints and knuckles hardened each to each。
And they are dead while waiting for the sea；
The moon…pursuing sea； to come again。
Their hearts are blown away on the hot breeze。
Only the shells and s