For a man that is almost blind,
Lat him go barhed all day agein the wind,
Till the sonne be set.
At even wrap him in a cloke
And put him in a hous full of smoke,
And loke that every hol be well shet.

And when his eyen begine to rope,
Fill hem full of brimstone and sope,
And hill him well and warm:
And if he see not by the next mone,
As well at midnight as at none,
I shall lese my right arm!

For a long time we've been apart—
I've often thought of you.
Imagine my joy at meeting you
at this city by the river.
To know what you're doing
I depend on words from the heart;
it's hard for old men to expect to meet
years in the future.
The forest blossoms fall to the ground,
blown to powder by the wind.
The eaves-drops stop their sound,
the rain scatters its threads.
Tomorrow our solitary tracks
will diverge again: north and south.
I will have the wind seal this poem
behind the wall.

For a long time, I was nailed to the pillory,
And some women, seeing me suffering, laughed.

Then, some men took mud in their hands
With which to spatter my temple and cheeks.

The sobs welled up in me, swelling like waves,
But my pride made me choke back the tears.

No one said, ‘She is perhaps less evil than
We suspect, she is perhaps a poor soul.’

The square was public and everyone had come,
And the women laughed in their naive way.

They tossed fruits back and forth to the tune of songs,

The foot-hills called us, green and sweet.
We dallied, but we might not stay,
And all day long we set our feet
In the wind's way.

We climbed with him the wandering trail
Up to the last keen, lonely height
Where snow-peaks clustered, sharp and frail,
Swimming in light.

Sheer on the edge of heaven we dwelt,
And laughed above the blue abyss,
While on my happy lips I felt
Your windy kiss.

You were the spirit of the height,
The breath of sun and air . . .
A bird dipped wing, and, swift and white,
Peace brooded there.

A FOOL there was, and she lowered her pride,
(Even as you and I),
To a bunch of conceit in a masculine hide —
We saw the faults that could not be denied,
But the fool saw only his manly side,
(Even as you and I).

Oh, the love she laid on her own heart's grave,
With care of her head and hand,
Belongs to the man who did not know,
(And now she knows that he never could know),
And did not understand.

A fool there was and her best she gave,
(Even as you and I),
Of noble thoughts, of gay and grave,

A FOOL there was and he made his prayer
(Even as you and I!)
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair
(We called her the woman who did not care)
But the fool he called her his lady fair —
(Even as you and I!)

Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste
And the work of our head and hand
Belong to the woman who did not know
(And now we know that she never could know)
And did not understand!

A fool there was and his goods he spent
(Even as you and I!)
Honour and faith and a sure intent

In an English Distick.

A Fool much bit by fleas put out the light,
You shall not see me now (quoth he) good night.

Fone sayes, those mighty whiskers he do's weare,
Are twigs of Birch, and willow, growing there:
If so, we'll think too, (when he do's condemne
Boyes to the lash) that he do's whip with them.

Fond man, that canst beleeve her blood
Will from those purple chanels flow;
Or that the pure untainted flood
Can any foule distemper know;
Or that thy weake steele can incize
The Crystall case, wherein it lyes.

Know; her quick blood, proud of his seat,
Runs dauncing through her azure veines;
Whose harmony no cold, nor heat
Disturbs, whose hue no tincture staines;
And the hard rock wherein it dwells,
The keenest darts of Love repels.

But thou reply'st, behold she bleeds;
Foole, thou'rt deceivd; and dost not know

Follow , follow me into the South,
And if you are brave and wise
I'll buy you laughter for your mouth,
Sorrow for your eyes.

I'll buy you laughter, wild and sweet,
And sorrow, gray and still,
But you must follow with willing feet
Over the farthest hill.

Follow, follow me into the South,
You may return to-morrow
Wearing my kisses on your mouth,
In your eyes my sorrow.