Her fingers turn the prayer-book leaves, Her forehead hints no mental strife: Soft and calm her breast heaves: _So calmly, with his cobbling knife She stabbed him through_ ... now never grieves. Baffled, aghast with hate, mouse-poor, He glares and clatters the brass knob ... _Through his heart it slid sure: He bowed, he died with never a sob, Again she stabbed_, now sits secure. Praying as she has always prayed For great Victoria's Majesty, Droning prayer for God's aid To succour long dead Royalty, The Consort Prince, Queen Adelaide.... She falls asleep, the clocks chime two; Old Becker sinks to unquiet rest. Loud and sad the cats mew: Lead weighs cruelly on his breast: His bones are tufted with mildew. III What's that, who's that comes breaking on my sleep With groans? What, father, you? (The very look, The same smudged foolish face like an old sheep Even after twenty years scarcely mistook.) Speak, Father, speak; that night what came to you Vanished in wrath or terror? Tell the tale; Your beer left still in mug, your half-made shoe On last, your turnip ticking on its nail! _"Son, it was Death. I have not stirred a foot Out of this horrible dwelling all these years, But planted like a kail I have taken root_ Under the stairs, my son, under the stairs._ _"Do not avenge me, Henry. Let all slide. I grudge your death. See, do not touch the snake. A cowardice taints you from your father's side And a coward's lusts, but curb them, for my sake!_ "Back to your grave, back Father, lest she wake!" IV Two full hours before the dawn, Dotard Parrot cocks an ear To the sleeper's moan, long-drawn, To her slurring tale of fear. Parrot hears Delilah tell Who lies dead below the stair; How he shuddered, stumbled, fell; In whose cause she laid him there. _The knife bit, thus: thus, the blood spread!_ Connoisseur of fo'c'stle speeches Parrot tilts his bald, sly head, Learns the spicy yarn she teaches. Soon, when sunlight warms his cage, He plots to cheer the passers-by With burlesque of murderous rage, Acting how his victims die: Thus, he stabs 'em; there, they lie. POETRY BY THE SAME AUTHOR 1916 Over the Brazier Poetry Bookshop. (New edition with slight alterations, 1920.) 1917 Fairies and Fusiliers William Heinemann. American edition, 1918. Alfred Knopf. 1920 Country Sentiment Martin Secker. American edition, 1920. Alfred Knopf. Contributions to Georgian Poetry, 1915-1917 and 1918-19. MARTIN SECKER'S BOOKS [Illustration] _MCMXXI_ NOTE The prices indicated in this catalogue are in every case net _NUMBER FIVE JOHN STREET_ _ADELPHI LONDON_ General Literature