Thunder In The Garden

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h3 style="margin-left: 32%;">THUNDER IN THE GARDEN</h3> <div class="stanza"> <div>When the boughs of the garden hang heavy with rain</div> <div>And the blackbird reneweth his song,</div> <div>And the thunder departing yet rolleth again,</div> <div>I remember the ending of wrong.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>When the day that was dusk while his death was aloof</div> <div>Is ending wide-gleaming and strange</div> <div>For the clearness of all things beneath the world's roof,</div> <div>I call back the wild chance and the change.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>For once we twain sat through the hot afternoon</div> <div>While the rain held aloof for a while,</div> <div>Till she, the soft-clad, for the glory of June</div> <div>Changed all with the change of her smile.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>For her smile was of longing, no longer of glee,</div> <div>And her fingers, entwined with mine own,</div> <div>With caresses unquiet sought kindness of me</div> <div>For the gift that I never had known.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>Then down rushed the rain, and the voice of the thunder</div> <div>Smote dumb all the sound of the street,</div> <div>And I to myself was grown nought but a wonder,</div> <div>As she leaned down my kisses to meet.</div> </div> <br/> <SPAN name="page90" id="page90"></SPAN> <div class="stanza"> <div>That she craved for my lips that had craved her so often,</div> <div>And the hand that had trembled to touch,</div> <div>That the tears filled her eyes I had hoped not to soften</div> <div>In this world was a marvel too much.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>It was dusk 'mid the thunder, dusk e'en as the night,</div> <div>When first brake out our love like the storm,</div> <div>But no night-hour was it, and back came the light</div> <div>While our hands with each other were warm.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>And her smile killed with kisses, came back as at first</div> <div>As she rose up and led me along,</div> <div>And out to the garden, where nought was athirst,</div> <div>And the blackbird renewing his song.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>Earth's fragrance went with her, as in the wet grass,</div> <div>Her feet little hidden were set;</div> <div>She bent down her head, 'neath the roses to pass,</div> <div>And her arm with the lily was wet.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>In the garden we wandered while day waned apace</div> <div>And the thunder was dying aloof;</div> <div>Till the moon o'er the minster-wall lifted his face,</div> <div>And grey gleamed out the lead of the roof.</div> </div> <br/> <div class="stanza"> <div>Then we turned from the blossoms, and cold were they grown:</div> <div>In the trees the wind westering moved;</div> <div>Till over the threshold back fluttered her gown,</div> <div>And in the dark house was I loved.</div> </div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />