IV
ACROSS José's unending drone
(Some ancient tale of arms and doom)
There came a poignant sweetness blown
From sleeping leagues of orange bloom.
(Some ancient tale of arms and doom)
There came a poignant sweetness blown
From sleeping leagues of orange bloom.
And lo! the steady candles blurred
Like shining fishes in a net,
And Josh's kindly voice I heard—
"But little one, thine eyes are wet."
Like shining fishes in a net,
And Josh's kindly voice I heard—
"But little one, thine eyes are wet."
He vowed the tale had made me weep,
Its shadowy woes in courtly speech,
Nor knew they passed like wraiths of sleep
The heart a vagrant wind could reach.
Its shadowy woes in courtly speech,
Nor knew they passed like wraiths of sleep
The heart a vagrant wind could reach.
How can I tell, whose fancy floats
As swift and passionate impulse veers,
What gust may sweep its roseleaf boats
Adown a sudden tide of tears?
As swift and passionate impulse veers,
What gust may sweep its roseleaf boats
Adown a sudden tide of tears?
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