The poems of Madison Cawein

Cawein, Madison Julius (1865-1914)

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On the black road through the wood,
As I rode,
There the Headless Horseman stood,
By the dark pool in the wood,
As I rode.

From the shadow of an oak,
As I rode,
Demon steed and rider broke;
By the thunder-riven oak,
As I rode.

On the wild way through the plain,
As I rode,
At my back he whirled like rain;
On the tempest-blackened plain,
As I rode.

Four black hoofs shod red with fire,
As I rode,
Woke the wild rocks, dark and dire;
Eyes and nostrils streaming fire,
As I rode.

On the deep path through the rocks,
As I rode,
I could touch his horse's locks;
Through the echo-hurling rocks,
As I rode.

And again I looked behind,
As I rode—
Dark as night and swift as wind,
Towering, he rode behind,
As I rode.

On the steep road through the dell,
As I rode,
Far away I heard a bell,
In the church beyond the dell,
As I rode.

And my soul cried out in prayer,
As I rode—
Lo! the demon went in air,
When my soul called out in prayer,
As I rode.

University of Virginia Library