19 MAY 1950, Page 11

Night Sky in Spring

IT is an ancient sky tonight, the vault Crusted with nebulae and planet-pocked, Weathered by patience and the slowest sands That creep. Our sepulchre is richly roofed With surfeit of all gems ; and we may think To read our years' fatigue in this hard face Which will outstare the death of all our progeny, Abandoning the theatre of our skulls And chilling out remembrance at a glance.

P. A. T. O'DoweLt.