A boy's will | ||
47
THE TUFT OF FLOWERS
I Went to turn the grass once after one
Who mowed it in the dew before the sun.
Who mowed it in the dew before the sun.
The dew was gone that made his blade so keen
Before I came to view the levelled scene.
Before I came to view the levelled scene.
I looked for him behind an isle of trees;
I listened for his whetstone on the breeze.
I listened for his whetstone on the breeze.
But he had gone his way, the grass all mown,
And I must be, as he had been,—alone,
And I must be, as he had been,—alone,
'As all must be,' I said within my heart,
'Whether they work together or apart.'
'Whether they work together or apart.'
But as I said it, swift there passed me by
On noiseless wing a 'wildered butterfly,
On noiseless wing a 'wildered butterfly,
Seeking with memories grown dim o'er night
Some resting flower of yesterday's delight.
Some resting flower of yesterday's delight.
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And once I marked his flight go round and
round,
As where some flower lay withering on the ground.
As where some flower lay withering on the ground.
And then he flew as far as eye could see,
And then on tremulous wing came back to me.
And then on tremulous wing came back to me.
I thought of questions that have no reply,
And would have turned to toss the grass to dry;
And would have turned to toss the grass to dry;
But he turned first, and led my eye to look
At a tall tuft of flowers beside a brook,
At a tall tuft of flowers beside a brook,
A leaping tongue of bloom the scythe had
spared
Beside a reedy brook the scythe had bared.
Beside a reedy brook the scythe had bared.
I left my place to know them by their name,
Finding them butterfly weed when I came.
Finding them butterfly weed when I came.
The mower in the dew had loved them thus,
By leaving them to flourish, not for us,
By leaving them to flourish, not for us,
Nor yet to draw one thought of ours to him.
But from sheer morning gladness at the brim.
But from sheer morning gladness at the brim.
The butterfly and I had lit upon,
Nevertheless, a message from the dawn,
Nevertheless, a message from the dawn,
That made me hear the wakening birds
around,
And hear his long scythe whispering to the ground,
And hear his long scythe whispering to the ground,
And feel a spirit kindred to my own;
So that henceforth I worked no more alone;
So that henceforth I worked no more alone;
But glad with him, I worked as with his aid,
And weary, sought at noon with him the shade;
And weary, sought at noon with him the shade;
And dreaming, as it were, held brotherly
speech
With one whose thought I had not hoped to reach.
With one whose thought I had not hoped to reach.
'Men work together,' I told him from the
heart,
'Whether they work together or apart.'
'Whether they work together or apart.'
A boy's will | ||