Low-latched in leaf-light housel his too huge G.o.dhead.

There! and your sweetest sendings, ah divine, By it, heavens, befall him! as a heart Christ's darling, dauntless; Tongue true, vaunt- and tauntless; Breathing bloom of a chast.i.ty in mans.e.x fine.

Frowning and forefending angel-warder Squander the h.e.l.l-rook ranks sally to molest him; March, kind comrade, abreast him; Dress his days to a dexterous and starlight order.

How it does my heart good, visiting at that bleak hill, When limber liquid youth, that to all I teach Yields tender as a pushed peach, Hies headstrong to its wellbeing of a self-wise self-will!

Then though I should tread tufts of consolation Days after, so I in a sort deserve to And do serve G.o.d to serve to Just such slips of soldiery Christ's royal ration.

Nothing else is like it, no, not all so strains Us: fresh youth fretted in a bloomfall all portending That sweet's sweeter ending; Realm both Christ is heir to and there reigns.

O now well work that sealing sacred ointment!

O for now charms, arms, what bans off bad And locks love ever in a lad!

Let me though see no more of him, and not disappointment

Those sweet hopes quell whose least me quickenings lift.

In scarlet or somewhere of some day seeing That brow and bead of being, An our day's G.o.d's own Galahad. Though this child's drift

Seems by a divine doom channelled, nor do I cry Disaster there; but may he not rankle and roam In backwheels though bound home?-- That left to the Lord of the Eucharist, I here lie by;

Recorded only, I have put my lips on pleas Would brandle adamantine heaven with ride and jar, did Prayer go disregarded: Forward-like, but however, and like favourable heaven heard these.

_24 Morning Midday and Evening Sacrifice_

THE dappled die-away Cheek and wimpled lip, The gold-wisp, the airy-grey Eye, all in fellowship-- This, all this beauty blooming, This, all this freshness fuming, Give G.o.d while worth consuming.

Both thought and thew now bolder And told by Nature: Tower; Head, heart, hand, heel, and shoulder That beat and breathe in power-- This pride of prime's enjoyment Take as for tool, not toy meant And hold at Christ's employment.

The vault and scope and schooling And mastery in the mind, In silk-ash kept from cooling, And ripest under rind-- What life half lifts the latch of, What h.e.l.l stalks towards the s.n.a.t.c.h of, Your offering, with despatch, of!

_25 Andromeda_

Now Time's Andromeda on this rock rude, With not her either beauty's equal or Her injury's, looks off by both horns of sh.o.r.e, Her flower, her piece of being, doomed dragon's food.

Time past she has been attempted and pursued By many blows and banes; but now hears roar A wilder beast from West than all were, more Rife in her wrongs, more lawless, and more lewd.

Her Perseus linger and leave her to her extremes?-- Pillowy air he treads a time and hangs His thoughts on her, forsaken that she seems, All while her patience, morselled into pangs, Mounts; then to alight disarming, no one dreams, With Gorgon's gear and barebill, thongs and fangs.

_26 The Candle Indoors_

SOME candle clear burns somewhere I come by.

I muse at how its being puts blissful back With yellowy moisture mild night's blear-all black, Or to-fro tender trambeams truckle at the eye.

By that window what task what fingers ply, I plod wondering, a-wanting, just for lack Of answer the eagerer a-wanting Jessy or Jack There G.o.d to aggrandise, G.o.d to glorify.--

Come you indoors, come home; your fading fire Mend first and vital candle in close heart's vault: You there are master, do your own desire; What hinders? Are you beam-blind, yet to a fault In a neighbour deft-handed? Are you that liar And cast by conscience out, spendsavour salt?

_27 The Handsome Heart:

at a Gracious Answer_

'BUT tell me, child, your choice; what shall I buy You?'--'Father, what you buy me I like best.'

With the sweetest air that said, still plied and pressed, He swung to his first poised purport of reply.

What the heart is! which, like carriers let fly-- Doff darkness, homing nature knows the rest-- To its own fine function, wild and self-instressed, Falls light as ten years long taught how to and why.

Mannerly-hearted! more than handsome face-- Beauty's bearing or muse of mounting vein, All, in this case, bathed in high hallowing grace . . .

Of heaven what boon to buy you, boy, or gain Not granted?--Only ... O on that path you pace Run all your race, O brace sterner that strain!

_28

At the Wedding March_

G.o.d with honour hang your head, Groom, and grace you, bride, your bed With lissome scions, sweet scions, Out of hallowed bodies bred.

Each be other's comfort kind: Deep, deeper than divined, Divine charity, dear charity, Fast you ever, fast bind.

Then let the March tread our ears: I to him turn with tears Who to wedlock, his wonder wedlock, Deals triumph and immortal years.

_29 Felix Randal_

FELIX RANDAL the farrier, O he is dead then? my duty all ended, Who have watched his mould of man, big-boned and hardy- handsome Pining, pining, till time when reason rambled in it and some Fatal four disorders, fleshed there, all contended?

Sickness broke him. Impatient he cursed at first, but mended Being anointed and all; though a heavenlier heart began some Months earlier, since I had our sweet reprieve and ransom Tendered to him. Ah well, G.o.d rest him all road ever he offended!

This seeing the sick endears them to us, us too it endears.

My tongue had taught thee comfort, touch had quenched thy tears, Thy tears that touched my heart, child, Felix, poor Felix Randal;

How far from then forethought of, all thy more boisterous years, When thou at the random grim forge, powerful amidst peers, Didst fettle for the great grey drayhorse his bright and battering sandal!

_30 Brothers_

How lovely the elder brother's Life all laced in the other's, Love-laced! what once I well Witnessed; so fortune fell.

When Shrovetide, two years gone, 5 Our boys' plays brought on Part was picked for John, Young John: then fear, then joy Ran revel in the elder boy.

Their night was come now; all 10 Our company thronged the hall; Henry, by the wall, Beckoned me beside him: I came where called, and eyed him By meanwhiles; making m play 15 Turn most on tender byplay.

For, wrung all on love's rack, My lad, and lost in Jack, Smiled, blushed, and bit his lip; Or drove, with a diver's dip, 20 Clutched hands down through clasped knees-- Truth's tokens tricks like these, Old telltales, with what stress He hung on the imp's success.

Now the other was bra.s.s-bold: 25 He had no work to hold His heart up at the strain; Nay, roguish ran the vein.

Two tedious acts were past; Jack's call and cue at last; 30 When Henry, heart-forsook, Dropped eyes and dared not look.

Eh, how all rung!

Young dog, he did give tongue!

But Harry--in his hands he has flung 35 His tear-tricked cheeks of flame For fond love and for shame.

Ah Nature, framed in fault, There 's comfort then, there 's salt; Nature, bad, base, and blind, 40 Dearly thou canst be kind; There dearly then, dearly, I'll cry thou canst be kind.