WHENYOUAREOLD
WHENyouareoldandgreyandfullofsleep,
Andnoddingbythefire, takedownthisbook,
Andslowlyread, anddreamofthesoftlook
Youreyeshadonce, andoftheirshadowsdeep;
Howmanylovedyourmomentsofgladgrace,
Andlovedyourbeautywithlovefalseortrue,
ButonemanlovedthepilgrimSoulinyou,
Andlovedthesorrowsofyourchangingface;
Andbendingdownbesidetheglowingbars,
Murmur, alittlesadly, howLovefled
Andpaceduponthemountainsoverhead
Andhidhisfaceamidacrowdofstars.
DOWNBYTHESALLEYGARDENS
DOWNbythesalleygardensmyloveandIdidmeet;
Shepassedthesalleygardenswithlittlesnow-whitefeet.
Shebidmetakeloveeasy, astheleavesgrowonthetree;
ButI, beingyoungandfoolish, withherwouldnotagree.
InafieldbytherivermyloveandIdidstand,
Andonmyleaningshouldershelaidhersnow-whitehand.
Shebidmetakelifeeasy, asthegrassgrowsontheweirs;
ButIwasyoungandfoolish, andnowamfulloftears.
ADEEP-SWORNVOW
OTHERSbecauseyoudidnotkeep
Thatdeep-swornvowhavebeenfriendsofmine;
YetalwayswhenIlookdeathintheface,
WhenIclambertotheheightsofsleep,
OrwhenIgrowexcitedwithwine,
SuddenlyImeetyourface.
THECOMINGOFWISDOMWITHTIME
THOUGHleavesaremany, therootisone;
Throughallthelyingdaysofmyyouth
Iswayedmyleavesandflowersinthesun;
NowImaywitherintothetruth.
HEGIVESHISBELOVEDCERTAINRHYMES
FASTENyourhairwithagoldenpin,
Andbindupeverywanderingtress;
Ibademyheartbuildthesepoorrhymes:
Itworkedatthem, dayout, dayin,
Buildingasorrowfulloveliness
