Aroundthehousetheflakesflyfaster，AndalltheberriesnowaregoneFromhollyandcotoneasterAroundthehouse。Theflakesfly！—fasterShuttingindoorsthatcrumb—outcasterWeusedtoseeuponthelawnAroundthehouse。Theflakesflyfaster，Andalltheberriesnowaregone！
MAXGATE。
THEPUZZLEDGAME—BIRDS
（TRIOLET）
TheyarenotthosewhousedtofeedusWhenwewereyoung—theycannotbe
Theseshapesthatnowbereaveandbleedus？
Theyarenotthosewhousedtofeedus，
Forwouldtheynotfairtermsconcedeus？
—IfheartscanhousesuchtreacheryTheyarenotthosewhousedtofeedusWhenwewereyoung—theycannotbe！
WINTERINDURNOVERFIELD
SCENE。—Awidestretchoffallowgroundrecentlysownwithwheat，andfrozentoironhardness。Threelargebirdswalkingaboutthereon，andwistfullyeyeingthesurface。Windkeenfromnorth—east:skyadullgrey。
（TRIOLET）
Rook。—ThroughoutthefieldIfindnograin;
Thecruelfrostencruststhecornland！
Starling。—Aye:patientpeckingnowisvainThroughoutthefield，Ifind
Rook。—Nograin！
Pigeon。—Norwillbe，comrade，tillitrain，OrgenialthawingsloosethelornlandThroughoutthefield。
Rook。—Ifindnograin:
Thecruelfrostencruststhecornland！
THELASTCHRYSANTHEMUM
WhyshouldthisflowerdelaysolongToshowitstremulousplumes？
Nowisthetimeofplaintiverobin—song，Whenflowersareintheirtombs。
Throughtheslowsummer，whenthesunCalledtoeachfrondandwhorlThatallhecouldforflowerswasbeingdone，Whydiditnotuncurl？
ItmusthavefeltthatfervidcallAlthoughittooknoheed，Wakingbutnow，whenleaveslikecorpsesfall，Andsapsallretrocede。
Toolateitsbeauty，lonelything，Theseason\'sshineisspent，NothingremainsforitbutshiveringIntempeststurbulent。
Haditareasonfordelay，DreaminginwitlessnessThatforabloomsodelicatelygayWinterwouldstayitsstress？
—ItalkasifthethingwerebornWithsensetoworkitsmind;
YetitisbutonemaskofmanywornBytheGreatFacebehind。
THEDARKLINGTHRUSH
IleantuponacoppicegateWhenFrostwasspectre—gray，AndWinter\'sdregsmadedesolateTheweakeningeyeofday。
Thetangledbine—stemsscoredtheskyLikestringsfrombrokenlyres，AndallmankindthathauntednighHadsoughttheirhouseholdfires。
Theland\'ssharpfeaturesseemedtobeTheCentury\'scorpseoutleant，Hiscryptthecloudycanopy，Thewindhisdeath—lament。
TheancientpulseofgermandbirthWasshrunkenhardanddry，AndeveryspirituponearthSeemedfervourlessasI。
AtonceavoiceoutburstamongThebleaktwigsoverheadInafull—heartedevensongOfjoyillimited;
Anagedthrush，frail，gaunt，andsmall，Inblast—beruffledplume，HadchosenthustoflinghissoulUponthegrowinggloom。
SolittlecauseforcarollingsOfsuchecstaticsoundWaswrittenonterrestrialthingsAfarornigharound，ThatIcouldthinktheretrembledthroughHishappygood—nightairSomeblessedHope，whereofheknewAndIwasunaware。
December1900。
THECOMETATYALBURYORYELL\'HAM
I
ItbendsfaroverYell\'hamPlain，Andwe，fromYell\'hamHeight，Standandregarditsfierytrain，Sosoontoswimfromsight。
II
Itwillreturnlongyearshence，whenAsnowitsstrangeswiftshineWillfallonYell\'ham;butnotthenOnthatsweetformofthine。
MADJUDY
WhenthehamlethailedabirthJudyusedtocry:
WhensheheardourchristeningmirthShewouldkneelandsigh。
Shewascrazed，weknew，andweHumouredherinfirmity。
WhenthedaughtersandthesonsGatheredthemtowed，Andwelike—intendingonesDancedtilldawnwasred，Shewouldrockandmutter，\"MoreComerstothisstonyshore！\"
WhenoldHeadsmanDeathlaidhandsOnababeortwain，Shewouldfeast，andbyherbrandsSinghersongsagain。
Whatshelikedweletherdo，Judywasinsane，weknew。
AWASTEDILLNESS
Throughvaultsofpain，Enribbedandwroughtwithgroinsofghastliness，Ipassed，andgarishspectresmovedmybrainTodiredistress。
Andhammerings，Andquakes，andshoots，andstiflinghotness，blentWithwebbywaxingthingsandwaningthingsAsonIwent。
\"WhereliestheendTothisfoulway？\"Iaskedwithweakeningbreath。
ThereonaheadIsawadoorextend
Thedoortodeath。
Itloomedmoreclear:
\"Atlast！\"Icried。\"Theall—deliveringdoor！\"
Andthen，Iknewnothow，itgrewlessnearThantheretofore。
AndbackslidI
AlongthegalleriesbywhichIcame，Andtediouslythedayreturned，andsky，Andlife—thesame。
Andallwaswell:
Oldcircumstanceresumeditsformershow，AndonmyheadthedewsofcomfortfellAseremywoe。
Iroamanew，ScarceconsciousofmylatedistressAndyetThosebackwardstepsthroughpainIcannotviewWithoutregret。
ForthatdiretrainOfwaxingshapesandwaning，passedbefore，Andthosegrimaisles，mustbetraversedagainToreachthatdoor。
AMAN
（INMEMORYOFH。OFM。）
I
InCasterbridgetherestoodanoblepile，Wroughtwithpilaster，bay，andbalustradeIntactfultimeswhenshrewdElizaswayed。
Onburgher，squire，andclownItsmiledthelongstreetdownfornearamileII
Butevildaysbesetthatdomicile;
ThestatelybeautiesofitsroofandwallPassedintosordidhands。CondemnedtofallWerecornice，quoin，andcove，Andallthatarthadwoveinantiquestyle。
III
AmongthehireddismantlersenteredthereOnetillthemomentofhistaskuntold。
Whenchargedtherewithhegazed，andansweredbold:
\"BeneedyIorno，Iwillnothelplaylowahousesofair！
IV
\"Hungerishard。Butsincethetermsbesuch
Nowage，orlabourstainedwiththedisgraceOfwreckingwhatouragecannotreplaceTosaveitstastelesssoul
I\'lldowithoutyourdole。Lifeisnotmuch！
V
Dismissedwithsneershebackedhistoolsandwent，Andwanderedworkless;foritseemedunwiseToclosewithonewhodaredtocriticizeAndcarponpointsoftaste:
Toworkwheretheywereplacedrudemenweremeant。
VI
Yearswhiled。Heaged，sank，sickened，andwasnot:
Anditwassaid，\"AmanintractableAndcurstisgone。\"Nonesighedtohearhisknell，Nonesoughthischurchyard—place;
Hisname，hisruggedface，weresoonforgot。
VII
Thestonesofthatfairhallliefarandwide，Andbutafewrecallitsancientmould;
YetwhenIpassthespotIlongtoholdAstruthwhatfancysaith:
\"Hisprotestliveswheredeathlessthingsabide！\"
THEDAMEOFATHELHALL
I
\"Soul！ShallIseethyface，\"shesaid，\"Inonebriefhour？
AndawaywiththeefromalovelessbedToafar—offsun，toavine—wraptbower，Andbethineownunseparated，Andchallengetheworld\'swhiteglower？
II
Shequickenedherfeet，andmethimwhereTheyhadpredesigned:
Andtheyclasped，andmounted，andclefttheairUponwhirlingwheels;tillthewilltobindHerlifewithhismadethemomentsthereEffacetheyearsbehind。
III
Milesslid，andthesightoftheportupgrewAstheyspedon;
WhenslippingitsbondthebraceletflewFromherfondledarm。Replacedanon，ItscameooftheabjuredonedrewHermusingsthereupon。
IV
ThegaudwithhisimageoncehadbeenAgiftfromhim:
AndsoitwasthatitscarvingkeenRefurbishedmemorieswearingdim，Whichsetinhersoulathroeofteen，Andatearonherlashes\'brim。