Poetry
Pause on the Road
ALL day the rain was dripping from the leaves ;
All day, all night, the trees were dark with rain. Sigh followed sigh ; speech lace a winter sun Grew thin and faded into watchfulness.
A wary silence settled on our minds, A mist of thin suspicion. I broke the veil, Sending unguided words along the stream.
" Are you sleeping ; has your heart grown weary Of struggle, of the fierce desire for knowledge, A high companionship along the road Uphill, toward the wider view of the world, Sunspaces, realms of cloud, labouring valleys, And the mountains sleeping under moon and sun By night and day where the austere gods of thought Brood in annihilating loneliness ? "
Then for reply you turned aside, and wept Tears that were blind, not knowing of their birth.
" Ah ! Tell me who you are I " I heard you say.
" Close, blood-mingled, sense to sense, yet strange, Grown suddenly strange and unfamiliar.
Whose voice is this that was the voice of love, So intimate that all my body trembled When you spoke ? "
" I do not know," I said,
And touched you shyly, with a hand of wonder.
" Here is the faith of love," I whispered, " Here, While passion sleeps, and understanding hides Its head. Maybe love is only courage."
When you looked up, the raindrops caught the sun, And the wet trees were glittering with light.
RICHARD CHURCH.
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