When dead leaves drift through the dusk of the autumn day, And the red elf-lanthorns hang from the spindle-spray, The rosy musk-mallow sways, and the sea's wild laughter Follows our footsteps after ! The rosy musk-mallow blooms where the dim wood sleeps, And the bind-weed creeps; Through tangled wood-paths unknown we must take our flight, To-night! As the pale hedge-lilies around the dark elder wind, Clasp thy white arms about me, nor look behind. The rosy musk-mallow is closed, and the soft leaves' laughter Follows our footsteps after! THE DOOM-BAR O D' YOU hear the seas complainin', and I gave my lad a token, when he left me nigh heart-broken, To mind him of old Padstow town, where loving souls abide ; 1 Twilight. ALL SOULS' NIGHT O MOTHER, mother, I swept the hearth, I set his chair and the white board spread, I prayed for his coming to our kind Lady when Death's sad doors would let out the dead; A strange wind rattled the window-pane, and down the lane a dog howled on. I called his name and the candle flame burnt dim, pressed a hand the doorlatch upon. Deelish! Deelish! my woe forever that I could not sever coward flesh from fear. I called his name and the pale Ghost came; but I was afraid to meet my dear. O mother, mother, in tears I checked the sad hours past of the year that's o'er, Till by God's grace I might see his face and hear the sound of his voice once more; The chair I set from the cold and wet, he took when he came from unknown skies Of the land of the dead; on my bent brown head I felt the reproach of his saddened eyes; I closed my lids on my heart's desire, crouched by the fire, my voice was dumb; At my clean-swept hearth he had no mirth, and at my table he broke no crumb. Deelish! Deelish! my woe forever that I could not sever coward flesh from fear: His chair put aside when the young cock cried, and I was afraid to meet my dear. |