Part 4 (2/2)
He fell: but Britain's banner swings Above his sunken crown.
Black death shall have his toll of kings Before that cross goes down.
Once more shall move with mighty things His house of ancient tale, Where kings whose hands were kissed of kings Went in: and came out pale.
O young ones of a darker day, In art's wan colours clad, Whose very love and hate are grey-- Whose very sin is sad.
Pa.s.s on: one agony long-drawn Was merrier than your mirth, When hand-in-hand came death and dawn, And spring was on the earth.
THE OUTLAW
Priest, is any song-bird stricken?
Is one leaf less on the tree?
Is this wine less red and royal That the hangman waits for me?
He upon your cross that hangeth, It is writ of priestly pen, On the night they built his gibbet, Drank red wine among his men.
Quaff, like a brave man, as he did, Wine and death as heaven pours-- This is my fate: O ye rulers, O ye pontiffs, what is yours?
To wait trembling, lest yon loathly Gallows-shape whereon I die, In strange temples yet unbuilded, Blaze upon an altar high.
BEHIND
I saw an old man like a child, His blue eyes bright, his white hair wild, Who turned for ever, and might not stop, Round and round like an urchin's top.
'Fool,' I cried, 'while you spin round, 'Others grow wise, are praised, are crowned.'
Ever the same round road he trod, 'This is better: I seek for G.o.d.'
'We see the whole world, left and right, Yet at the blind back hides from sight The unseen Master that drives us forth To East and West, to South and North.
'Over my shoulder for eighty years I have looked for the gleam of the sphere of spheres.'
'In all your turning, what have you found?'
'At least, I know why the world goes round.'
THE END OF FEAR
Though the whole heaven be one-eyed with the moon, Though the dead landscape seem a thing possessed, Yet I go singing through that land oppressed As one that singeth through the flowers of June.
No more, with forest-fingers crawling free O'er dark flint wall that seems a wall of eyes, Shall evil break my soul with mysteries Of some world-poison maddening bush and tree.
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