DANAE

“What with clangour, clangour of iron din,

Do they beat till daylight ring?

What heat, that I see the night air spin,

And sparks dance over the scaffolding?

“The birds have flown because of their strife

Hammering difficult metal;

Their reek has taken my roses’ life,

Dripping white petal on petal.

“What glows gold taller than earthly tree

In that maze of mast on mast

Of the scaffolding? What can it be

They build so secret and fast?”