SONGOFTHESOLDIERS'WIVES
　　I
　　Atlast！Insightofhomeagain，Ofhomeagain;
　　NomoretorangeandroamagainAsatthatbygonetime？
　　NomoretogoawayfromusAndstayfromus？
　　Dawn，holdnotlongthedayfromus，Butquickenittoprime！
　　II
　　Nowallthetownshallringtothem，Shallringtothem，AndwewholovethemclingtothemAndclaspthemjoyfully;
　　Andcry，"Omuchwe'lldoforyouAnewforyou，DearLoves！—aye，drawandhewforyou，Comebackfromoversea。"
　　III
　　Sometoldusweshouldmeetnomore，Shouldmeetnomore;
　　Shouldwait，andwish，butgreetnomoreYourfacesroundourfires;
　　That，inawhile，uncharilyAnddrearilyMengavetheirlives—evenwearily，Likethosewhomlivingtires。
　　IV
　　Andnowyouarenearinghomeagain，Dears，homeagain;
　　Nomore，maybe，toroamagainAsatthatbygonetime，WhichtookyoufarawayfromusTostayfromus;
　　Dawn，holdnotlongthedayfromus，Butquickenittoprime！
　　THESICKGOD
　　I
　　Indayswhenmenhadjoyofwar，AGodofBattlesspedeachmortaljar;
　　Thepeoplespledgedhimheartandhand，FromIsrael'slandtoislesafar。
　　II
　　Hiscrimsonform，withclangandchime，Flashedoneachmurkandmurderousmeeting—time，Andkingsinvoked，forrapeandraid，Hisfearsomeaidinruneandrhyme。
　　III
　　Onbruiseandblood—hole，scarandseam，Onbladeandbolt，heflunghisfulgidbeam:
　　Hishaloesrayedtheverygore，Andcorpsesworehisglory—gleam。
　　IV
　　OftenanearlyKingorQueen，Andstoriedheroonward，knewhissheen;
　　'TwasglimpsedbyWolfe，byNeyanon，AndNelsononhisbluedemesne。
　　V
　　Butnewlightspread。Thatgod'sgoldnimbAndblazonhavewaneddimmerandmoredim;
　　Evenhisflushedformbeginstofade，Tillbutashadeisleftofhim。
　　VI
　　ThatmodernmeditationbrokeHisspell，thatpenmen'spleadingsdealtastroke，Saysome;andsomethatcrimestoodireDidmuchtomirehiscrimsoncloak。
　　VII
　　Yea，seedsofcrescivesympathyWeresownbythosemoreexcellentthanhe，Longknown，thoughlongcontemnedtillthen
　　Thegodsofmeninamity。
　　VIII
　　Soulshavegrownseers，andthoughtout—bringsThemournfulmany—sidednessofthingsWithfoesasfriends，enfeeblingiresAndfury—firesbygaingivings！
　　IX
　　Hescarceimpassionschampionsnow;
　　Theydoanddare，buttensely—paleofbrow;
　　AndwouldtheyfainupliftthearmOfthatfaintformtheyknownothow。
　　X
　　Yetwarsarise，thoughzestgrowscold;
　　Wherefore，atwhiles，as'twereinancientmouldHelooms，bepatchedwithpaintandlath;
　　Butneverhathheseemedtheold！
　　XI
　　Letmenrejoice，letmendeplore。
　　TheluridDeityofheretoforeSuccumbstooneofsanernod;
　　TheBattle—godisgodnomore。
　　GENOAANDTHEMEDITERRANEAN
　　（March，1887）
　　Oepic—famed，god—hauntedCentralSea，HeavecarelessofthedeepwrongdonetotheeWhenfromTorino'strackIsawthyfacefirstflashonme。
　　AndmultimarbledGenovatheProud，Gleamallunconscioushow，wide—lipped，up—browed，Ifirstbeheldtheeclad—notastheBeautybuttheDowd。
　　Outfromadeep—delvedwaymyvisionlitOnhousebackspink，green，ochreous—whereaslitShoreward'twixtrowandrowrevealedtheclassicbluethroughit。
　　Andthereacrosswavedfishwives'high—hungsmocks，Chromekerchiefs，scarlethose，darnedunderfrocks;
　　Sincewhentoooftmydreamsofthee，OQueen，thatfripperymocks:
　　WhereatIgrieve，Superba！AfterhoursWithinPalazzoDoria'sorangebowersWentfartomendthesemarringsofthysoul—sublimingpowers。
　　But，Queen，suchsqualidundressnoneshouldsee，Thosedream—endangeringeyewoundsnomorebeWhereloversfirstbeholdthyforminpilgrimagetothee。
　　SHELLEY'SSKYLARK
　　（TheneighbourhoodofLeghorn:March，1887）
　　SomewhereafieldheresomethingliesInEarth'sobliviouseyelesstrustThatmovedapoettoprophecies
　　Apinchofunseen，unguardeddustThedustofthelarkthatShelleyheard，Andmadeimmortalthroughtimestobe;
　　Thoughitonlylivedlikeanotherbird，Andknewnotitsimmortality。
　　Liveditsmeeklife;then，oneday，fell
　　Alittleballoffeatherandbone;
　　Andhowitperished，whenpipedfarewell，Andwhereitwastes，arealikeunknown。
　　MaybeitrestsintheloamIview，Maybeitthrobsinamyrtle'sgreen，MaybeitsleepsinthecominghueOfagrapeontheslopesofyoninlandscene。
　　Gofindit，faeries，goandfindThattinypinchofpricelessdust，Andbringacasketsilver—lined，Andframedofgoldthatgemsencrust;
　　Andwewilllayitsafetherein，Andconsecrateittoendlesstime;
　　ForitinspiredabardtowinEcstaticheightsinthoughtandrhyme。
　　INTHEOLDTHEATRE，FIESOLE
　　（April，1887）
　　ItracedtheCircuswhosegraystonesinclineWhereRomeanddimEtruriainterjoin，TillcameachildwhoshowedanancientcoinThatboretheimageofaConstantine。
　　Shelightlypassed;nordidsheonceopineHow，betterthanallbooks，shehadraisedformeInswiftperspectiveEurope'shistoryThroughthevastyearsofCaesar'ssceptredline。
　　ForinmydistantplotofEnglishloam'Twasbuttodelve，andstraightwaytheretofindCoinsoflikeimpress。AswithonehalfblindWhomcommonsimplescure，heractflashedhomeInthatmutemomenttomyopenedmindThepower，thepride，thereachofperishedRome。
　　ROME:ONTHEPALATINE
　　（April，1887）
　　WewalkedwhereVictorJovewasshrinedawhile，AndpassedtoLivia'srichredmuralshow，Whence，thriddingcaveandCriptoportico，WegainedCaligula'sdissolvingpile。
　　AndeachrankedruintendedtobeguileTheoutersense，andshapeitselfasthoughItworeitsmarblehues，itspristineglowOfscenicfriezeandpompousperistyle。
　　Whenlo，swifthands，onstringsnighover—head，BegantomelodizeawaltzbyStrauss:
　　ItstirredmeasIstood，inCaesar'shouse，RaisedtheoldroutsImperiallyreshadled，Andblendedpulsinglifewithliveslongdone，TillTimeseemedfiction，PastandPresentone。
　　ROME
　　BUILDINGANEWSTREETINTHEANCIENTQUARTER
　　（April，1887）
　　ThesenumberedcliffsandgnarlsofmasonryOutskeletonTime'scentralcity，Rome;
　　Whereofeacharch，entablature，anddomeLiesbareinallitsgauntanatomy。
　　AndcrackingfriezeandrottenmetopeExpress，asthoughtheywereanopentomeTop—linedwithcausticmonitorygnome;
　　"Dunces，LearnheretospellHumanity！"
　　Andyetwithintheseruins'veryshadeThesingingworkmenshapeandsetandjoinTheirfrailnewmansion'sstuccoedcoveandquoinWithnoapparentsensethatyearsabrade，ThougheachrentwalltheirfeebleworksinvadeOnceshamedallsuchinpowerofpierandgroin。
　　ROME