576 RUDYARD KIPLING'S VERSE
Shall bear us company to-night,
For we have reached the Oldest Land
Wherein the powers of Darkness range.
In the House of Suddhoo.
To-night, God knows what thing shall tide, The Earth is racked and fain Expectant, sleepless, open-eyed; And we, who from the Earth were made, Thrill with our Mother's pain.
False Dawn.
Pit where the buffalo cooled his hide,
By the hot sun emptied, and blistered and dried;
Log in the plume-grass, hidden and lone;
Bund where the earth-rat's mounds are strown;
Cave in the bank where the sly stream steals;
Aloe that stabs at the belly and heels,
Jump if you dare on a steed untried
Safer it is to go wide go wide!
Hark, from in front where the best men ride;
" Pull to the off, boys ! Wide ! Go wide ! "
Cupid's Arrows.
He drank strong waters and his speech was coarse;
He purchased raiment and forbore to pay;
He stuck a trusting junior with a horse,
And won gymkhanas in a doubtful way.
Then, 'twixt a vice and folly, turned aside
To do good deeds and straight to cloak them, lied.
A Bank Fraud.