WILDER MUSIC

Came the same cuckoo's cry

All day across the mead.

Flitted the butterfly

All day dittering over my head.

Came a bleak crawk-caw

Between tall broad trees.

Came shadows, floating, drifting slowly down

Large leaves from darker trees.

Rose the lark with the rising sun,

Rose the mist after the lark,

O wild and sweet the clamour begun

Round the heels of the limping dark.

Rose after white cloud white cloud,

Nodded green cloud to green;

The stiff and dark earth stirred, breathing aloud,

And dew shook from the green.

Remained the eyes that stared,

Ears that ached to hear;

Remained the nerve of being, bared,

Stung with delight and fear.

Beauty flushed, ran and returned,

Like a music rose and fell;

Staring and blind and deaf I listened and burned —

A wilder music fell.