CHARACTER

If one should tell you that in such a spring

The hawthorn boughs into the blackbird’ s nest

Poured poison, or that once at harvesting

The ears were stony, from so manifest

Slander of proven faith in tree and corn

You would turn unheeding, knowing him forsworn.

Yet now, when one whose life has never known

Corruption, as you know: whose days have been

As daily tidings in your heart of lone

And gentle courage, suffers the word unclean

Of envious tongues, doubting you dare not cry —

“I have been this man’ s familiar, and you lie.”