Time's Laughingstocks, and Other Verses Part 2

In a colonnade high-lighted, By a thoroughfare where stern utilitarian traffic dinned, On a red and white emblazonment of players and parts, I sighted The name of "Rosalind,"

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And her famous mates of "Arden,"

Who observed no stricter customs than "the seasons' difference" bade, Who lived with running brooks for books in Nature's wildwood garden, And called idleness their trade . . .

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Now the poster stirred an ember Still remaining from my ardours of some forty years before, When the selfsame portal on an eve it thrilled me to remember A like announcement bore;

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And expectantly I had entered, And had first beheld in human mould a Rosalind woo and plead, On whose transcendent figuring my speedy soul had centred As it had been she indeed . . .

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So; all other plans discarding, I resolved on entrance, bent on seeing what I once had seen, And approached the gangway of my earlier knowledge, disregarding The tract of time between.

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"The words, sir?" cried a creature Hovering mid the s.h.i.+ne and shade as 'twixt the live world and the tomb; But the well-known numbers needed not for me a text or teacher To revive and re-illume.

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Then the play . . . But how unfitted Was THIS Rosalind!--a mammet quite to me, in memories nurst, And with chilling disappointment soon I sought the street I had quitted, To re-ponder on the first.

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The hag still hawked,--I met her Just without the colonnade. "So you don't like her, sir?" said she.

"Ah--_I_ was once that Rosalind!--I acted her--none better - Yes--in eighteen sixty-three.

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"Thus I won Orlando to me In my then triumphant days when I had charm and maidenhood, Now some forty years ago.--I used to say, COME WOO ME, WOO ME!"

And she struck the att.i.tude.

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It was when I had gone there nightly; And the voice--though raucous now--was yet the old one.--Clear as noon My Rosalind was here . . . Thereon the band withinside lightly Beat up a merry tune.

A SUNDAY MORNING TRAGEDY (circa 186-)

I bore a daughter flower-fair, In Pydel Vale, alas for me; I joyed to mother one so rare, But dead and gone I now would be.

Men looked and loved her as she grew, And she was won, alas for me; She told me nothing, but I knew, And saw that sorrow was to be.

I knew that one had made her thrall, A thrall to him, alas for me; And then, at last, she told me all, And wondered what her end would be.

She owned that she had loved too well, Had loved too well, unhappy she, And bore a secret time would tell, Though in her shroud she'd sooner be.

I plodded to her sweetheart's door In Pydel Vale, alas for me: I pleaded with him, pleaded sore, To save her from her misery.

He frowned, and swore he could not wed, Seven times he swore it could not be; "Poverty's worse than shame," he said, Till all my hope went out of me.

"I've packed my traps to sail the main" - Roughly he spake, alas did he - "Wess.e.x beholds me not again, 'Tis worse than any jail would be!"

- There was a shepherd whom I knew, A subtle man, alas for me: I sought him all the pastures through, Though better I had ceased to be.

I traced him by his lantern light, And gave him hint, alas for me, Of how she found her in the plight That is so scorned in Christendie.

"Is there an herb . . . ?" I asked. "Or none?"

Yes, thus I asked him desperately.

"--There is," he said; "a certain one . . . "

Would he had sworn that none knew he!

"To-morrow I will walk your way,"

He hinted low, alas for me. - Fieldwards I gazed throughout next day; Now fields I never more would see!

The sunset-s.h.i.+ne, as curfew strook, As curfew strook beyond the lea, Lit his white smock and gleaming crook, While slowly he drew near to me.

He pulled from underneath his smock The herb I sought, my curse to be - "At times I use it in my flock,"

He said, and hope waxed strong in me.

"'Tis meant to balk ill-motherings" - (Ill-motherings! Why should they be?) - "If not, would G.o.d have sent such things?"

So spoke the shepherd unto me.

That night I watched the poppling brew, With bended back and hand on knee: I stirred it till the dawnlight grew, And the wind whiffled wailfully.

"This scandal shall be slain," said I, "That lours upon her innocency: I'll give all whispering tongues the lie;" - But worse than whispers was to be.

"Here's physic for untimely fruit,"

I said to her, alas for me, Early that morn in fond salute; And in my grave I now would be.

- Next Sunday came, with sweet church chimes In Pydel Vale, alas for me: I went into her room betimes; No more may such a Sunday be!

"Mother, instead of rescue nigh,"

She faintly breathed, alas for me, "I feel as I were like to die, And underground soon, soon should be."

From church that noon the people walked In twos and threes, alas for me, Showed their new raiment--smiled and talked, Though sackcloth-clad I longed to be.

Came to my door her lover's friends, And cheerly cried, alas for me, "Right glad are we he makes amends, For never a sweeter bride can be."

My mouth dried, as 'twere scorched within, Dried at their words, alas for me: More and more neighbours crowded in, (O why should mothers ever be!)

"Ha-ha! Such well-kept news!" laughed they, Yes--so they laughed, alas for me.