Part 19 (1/2)

Over the jewelled floor, nigh weeping, ran to them Mary the Mother, Kneeled and caressed and made promise with kisses, and drew them along to the gateway-- Yea, the all-iron unbribeable Door which Peter must guard and none other.

Straightway She took the Keys from his keeping, and opened and freed them straightway.

Then, to Her Son, Who had seen and smiled, She said: 'On the night that I bore Thee, What didst Thou care for a love beyond mine or a heaven that was not my arm?

Didst Thou push from the nipple, O Child, to hear the angels adore Thee?

When we two lay in the breath of the kine?' And He said:--'Thou hast done no harm.'

So through the Void the Children ran homeward merrily hand in hand, Looking neither to left nor right where the breathless Heavens stood still.

And the Guards of the Void resheathed their swords, for they heard the Command: 'Shall I that have suffered the children to come to Me hold them against their will?'

MERROW DOWN

I

There runs a road by Merrow Down-- A gra.s.sy track to-day it is-- An hour out of Guildford town, Above the river Wey it is.

Here, when they heard the horse-bells ring, The ancient Britons dressed and rode To watch the dark Phoenicians bring Their goods along the Western Road.

Yes, here, or hereabouts, they met To hold their racial talks and such-- To barter beads for Whitby jet, And tin for gay sh.e.l.l torques and such.

But long and long before that time (When bison used to roam on it) Did Taffy and her Daddy climb That Down, and had their home on it.

Then beavers built in Broadstonebrook And made a swamp where Bramley stands; And bears from Shere would come and look For Taffimai where Shamley stands.

The Wey, that Taffy called Wagai, Was more than six times bigger then; And all the Tribe of Tegumai They cut a n.o.ble figure then!

II

Of all the Tribe of Tegumai Who cut that figure, none remain,-- On Merrow Down the cuckoos cry-- The silence and the sun remain.

But as the faithful years return And hearts unwounded sing again, Comes Taffy dancing through the fern To lead the Surrey spring again.

Her brows are bound with bracken-fronds, And golden elf-locks fly above; Her eyes are bright as diamonds And bluer than the sky above.

In moca.s.sins and deer-skin cloak, Unfearing, free and fair she flits, And lights her little damp-wood smoke To show her Daddy where she flits.

For far--oh, very far behind, So far she cannot call to him, Comes Tegumai alone to find The daughter that was all to him.

OLD MOTHER LAIDINWOOL

'Old Mother Laidinwool had nigh twelve months been dead.

She heard the hops was doing well, an' so popped up her head,'

For said she: 'The lads I've picked with when I was young and fair, They're bound to be at hopping and I'm bound to meet 'em there!'

_Let me up and go Back to the work I know, Lord!