James Stephens.

b.1882

952   The Watcher

A ROSE for a young head,
A ring for a bride,
Joy for the homestead
Clean and wide—
   Who’s that waiting
   In the rain outside?

A heart for an old friend,
A hand for the new:
Love can to earth lend
Heaven’s hue—
   Who’s that standing
   In the silver dew?

A smile for the parting,
A tear as they go,
God’s sweethearting
Ends just so—
   Who’s that watching
   Where the black winds blow?

He who is waiting
In the rain outside,
He who is standing
Where the dew drops wide,
He who is watching
In the wind must ride
  (Tho’ the pale hands cling)
  With the rose
  And the ring
  And the bride,
  Must ride
With the red of the rose,
And the gold of the ring,
And the lips and the hair of the bride.

953   The Rivals

I HEARD a bird at dawn
Singing sweetly on a tree,
That the dew was on the lawn,
And the wind was on the lea;
But I didn’t listen to him,
For he didn’t sing to me!

I didn’t listen to him,
For he didn’t sing to me
That the dew was on the lawn,
And the wind was on the lea!
I was singing at the time,
Just as prettily as he!

I was singing all the time,
Just as prettily as he,
About the dew upon the lawn,
And the wind upon the lea!
So I didn’t listen to him,
As he sang upon a tree!