Classic Poem

A young girl cousined them, whose character was
A wise bright head and grey eyes beautifuller
To Paul than his brave manhood seemed to her,
Though he was Greek enough for Phidias,
And she could ride; but about this Michaelmas
She wouldn't run quick and green in riding habit
To canter with him and hollo to every rabbit
That bounced across to thicket or to grass.

She listened too much to Abbott's music of words,
Savage and strange. “How noble is man thinking!
But we, my cousin, are filled with eating and drinking.
Should we not read philosophy?” But Paul said,
“Edith, my brother's a fool, and out of his head,”
And saw her thoughts fly over him, like the birds.