THE LAZY ONE

Things of metal will continue

voyaging between the stars

Tired men will take off

They will violate the quiet moon

and set up their drug-stores there

In this time of the swollen grape

the wine begins its life

between the sea and the Cordilleras

In chile the cherries are dancing

the dark girls are singing

and in the guitars,water is shining

THE MICROBE

The microbe is so very small

You cannot make him out at all

But many sanguine people hope

To see him through a microscope

His jointed tongue that lies beneath

A hundred curious rows of teeth

His seven tufted tails with lots

Of lovely pink and purple spots

On each of which a pattern stands

Composed of forty separate bands

His eyebrows of a tender green

All these have never yet been seen

But scientists who ought to know

Assure us that they must be so

Oh ! let us never never doubt

What nobody is sure about !

OLD POEM

At fifteen I went with the army

At fourscore I came home

On the way I met a man from the village

I asked him who there was at home

"That over there is your house

All covered over with trees and bushes

Rabbits had run in at the dog-hole

pheasants flew down from the beams og the roof

In the courtyard was growing some wild grain

And by the well,some wild mallows

I'll boil the grain and make porridge

I'll pluck the mallows and make soup

Soup and porridge are both cooked

But there is no one to eat,them with

I went out and looked towards the east

While tears fell and wetted my clothes.

A POISON TREE

I was angry with my friend

I told my wrath did end

I was angry with my foe

I told it not, my wrath did grow

And I wateres it in fears

Night and morning with my tears

And I sunned it with smiles

And with soft deceitful wiles

And it grew both day and night

Till it bore an apple bright

And my foe beheld it shine

And he knew that it was mine

And into my garden stole

When the night had veiled the pole

In the morning glad I see

My foe outstretched beneath the tree

THE LONELY SCARECROW

My poor old bones-I've only two

A broom shank and a broken stave

My ragged gloves are a disgrace

My one peg foot is in the gave

I wear the labourer's old clothes 

Coat,shirt and trousers all undone

I bear my cross upon a hill

In rain and shine, in snow and rain

I cannot help the way I look

My funny hat is full of hay

O wild birds, come and nest in me !

Why do you always fly away ?

ISLAND SPELL

I am wrapped in a strange enchantment

caught in an island spell

snared by an - age - old magic

Of a love no words can tell

Not for me the far away places

Not for me the thirst to roam

The tug at my hungry heart - strings

Is the call of my islnd home

I am downed in her great , green waters

Burnt by her golden sun

Dazes by her starry heavens

When her purple dusks are done

I have drunk the wine of her moonlight

I have lain at her breast thro' the years

I have shared her joys and her laughter

I have bled with her sorrow's tears

I have lain on her yellow beaches

with my ear to a fragile shell 

And heard in its low sweet murmur

My wordless island spell

THE SNARE

I hear a sudden cry of pain

There is a rabbit in a snare

Now I hear the cry again

But i cannot tell from where

But I cannot tell from where

He is calling out for aid

Crying on the frightened air

Making everything afraid !

Making everything afraid !

Wrinking up his little face !

As he cries again for aid

And I cannot find the place !

And I cannot find the place

Where his paw is in the snare

Little one ! oh ! Little one !!

I am searching everywhere !