Short Poems

Water falls
Apart in air
Hangs like hair
Light installs
Itself in strands
Of water falling
The cliff stands

RESULTS

In life's fair morn I said on yonder height,
My name will shine where rocks tower high and grand,
And eastward looms the shadow of the night,
And all that I have done is writ in sand.

EARTH

In storm, and thunder, and lurid light,
Earth grew to beauty and perfect strength;
It will die in the wind and gloom of night,
When the years have run their length.

Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets within your pipe, put that in!
Say I'm weary, say I'm sad,
Say I'm growing old — but add,
G. M. Trevelyan wanted me to deliver a Clark Lecture.

Yours sincerely, and with deep regret,

Twenty sparrows
on

a scattered
turd:

Share and share

(Written at the time of the Abdication, 1936)

M Y Lord Archbishop, what a scold you are,
And when your man is down how bold you are,
Of Christian charity how scant you are —
How Lang, O Lord, how full of cant you are!

God heard the embattled nations sing and shout
" Gott strafe England!" and " God save the King!"
God this, God that, and God the other thing —
" Good God!" said God, " I've got my work cut out."

All you that in the condemned hole do lie,
Prepare you for tomorrow you shall die.
Watch all and pray; the hour is drawing near
That you before the Almighty must appear.
Examine well yourselves, in time repent,
That you may not to eternal flames be sent,
And when St Sepulchre's bell in the morning tolls
The Lord have mercy on your souls.

Still amorous, and fond, and billing,
Like Philip and Mary on a shilling.

Remember me when you do pray,
That hope doth lead from day to day.