And then again a shiny night Among the honey-scented heather, We wandered in the moonblaze bright, Together through a land of light, A lad and lass alone with life. And merrily we laughed together, When, starting up from sleep, we heard The cock-grouse talking to his wife... And "Old Fat Pete" she called the bird. Six months and more have cantered by: And, Winter past, we’re out again-- We’ve left the fat and weatherwise To keep their coops and reeking sties, And eat their fill of oven-pies, While we win free and out again To take potluck beneath the sky With sun and moon and wind and rain. Six happy months ... and yet, at night, I’ve often wakened in affright, And looked upon her lying there, Beside me sleeping quietly, Adread that when she waked, I’d see The hunted hare within her eyes. And, only last night, as I slept Beneath the shelter of a stack... My hands were hot upon a hare, Half-strangled, struggling in the snare, When, suddenly, her eyes shot back, Big, fearful, staggering and black; And ere I knew, my grip was slack, And I was clutching empty air... Bolt-upright from my sleep I leapt... Her place was empty in the straw... And then, with quaking heart, I saw That she was standing in the night, A leveret cuddled to her breast... I spoke no word: but, as the light Through banks of Eastern cloud was breaking, She turned, and saw that I was waking: And told me how she could not rest; And, rising in the night, she’d found This baby-hare crouched on the ground; And she had nursed it quite a while: But, now, she’d better let it go... Its mother would be fretting so... A mother’s heart... I saw her smile, And look at me with tender eyes: And as I looked into their light, My foolish, fearful heart grew wise... And now, I knew that never there I’d see again the startled hare, Or need to dread the dreams of night. 1910-1911. LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED.