Little Blind Fish, thou art marvellous wise!
Little Blind Fish, who put out thy eyes?
Open thy ears while I whisper my wish.
Bring me a lover, thou little Blind Fish!
The Charm of the Bisara
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Late came the God, having sent his forerunners who were not regarded– Late, but in wrath; Saying: "The wrong shall be paid, the contempt be rewarded On all that she hath." He poisoned the blade and struck home, the full bosom receiving The wound and the venom in one, past cure or relieving. He made treaty with Time to stand still that the grief might be fresh- Daily renewed and nightly pursued through her soul to her flesh- Mornings of memory, noontides of agony, midnights unslaked for her, Till the stones of the streets of her Hells and her Paradise ached for her. So she lived while her body corrupted upon her. And she called on the Night for a sign, and a Sign was allowed, And she builded an Altar and served by the light of her Vision- Alone, without hope of regard or reward, but uncowed, Resolute, selfless, divine. These things she did in Love's honour... What is a God beside Woman? Dust and derision!
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It was not in the open fight
We threw away the sword,
But in the lonely watching
In the darkness by the ford.
The waters lapped, the night-wind blew,
Full-armed the Fear was born and grew,
And we were flying ere we knew
From panic in the night.
Beoni Bar
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In the daytime, when she moved about me,
In the night, when she was sleeping at my side,—
I was wearied, I was wearied of her presence.
Day by day and night by night I grew to hate her—
Would God that she or I had died!
Confessions
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"If I have taken the common clay And wrought it cunningly In the shape of a God that was digged a clod, The greater honour to me." "If thou hast taken the common clay, And thy hands be not free From the taint of the soil, thou hast made thy spoil The greater shame to thee."
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I've never sailed the Amazon,
I've never reached Brazil;
But the Don and Magdalena,
They can go there when they will!
Yes, weekly from Southampton,
Great steamers, white and gold,
Go rolling down to Rio
(Roll down—roll down to Rio!)
And I'd like to roll to Rio
Some day before I'm old!
I've never seen a Jaguar,
Nor yet an Armadill
O dilloing in his armour,
And I s'pose I never will,
Unless I go to Rio
These wonders to behold
Roll down—roll down to Rio
Roll really down to Rio!
Oh, I'd love to roll to Rio
Some day before I'm old!
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I will remember what I was. I am sick of rope and chain—
I will remember my old strength and all my forest-affairs.
I will not sell my back to man for a bundle of sugar-cane.
I will go out to my own kind, and the wood-folk in their lairs.
I will go out until the day, until the morning break,
Out to the winds' untainted kiss, the waters' clean caress.
I will forget my ankle-ring and snap my picket-stake.
I will revisit my lost loves, and playmates masterless!
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I AM the Most Wise Baviaan, saying in most wise tones, ‘Let us melt into the landscape—just us two by our lones.’ People have come—in a carriage—calling. But Mummy is there.... Yes, I can go if you take me—Nurse says she don’t care. Let’s go up to the pig-sties and sit on the farmyard rails! Let’s say things to the bunnies, and watch ’em skitter their tails! Let’s—oh, anything, daddy, so long as it’s you and me, And going truly exploring, and not being in till tea! Here’s your boots (I’ve brought ’em), and here’s your cap and stick, And here’s your pipe and tobacco. Oh, come along out of it—quick.
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1 Master, this is Thy Servant. He is rising eight weeks old. He is mainly Head and Tummy. His legs are uncontrolled. But Thou has forgiven his ugliness, and settled him on Thy knee ... Art Thou content with Thy Servant? He is very comfy with Thee. 2 Master, behold a Sinner! He hath committed a wrong. He hath defiled Thy Premises through being kept in too long. Wherefore his nose has been rubbed in the dirt, and his self-respect has been bruised, Master, pardon Thy Sinner, and see he is properly loosed. 3 Master - again Thy Sinner! This that was once Thy Shoe, He has found and taken and carried aside, as fitting matter to chew. Now there is neither blacking nor tongue, and the Housemaid has us in tow. Master, remember Thy Servant is young, and tell her to let him go! 4 Master, extol Thy Servant, he has met a most Worthy Foe! There has been fighting all over the Shop - and into the Shop also! Till cruel umbrellas parted the strife (or I might have been choking him yet) But Thy Servant has had the Time of his Life - and now shall we call on the vet? 5 Master, behold Thy Servant! Strange children came to play, And because they fought to caress him, Thy Servant wentedst away. But now that the Little Beasts have gone, he has returned to see (Brushed - with his Sunday collar on) what they left over from tea. 6 Master, pity Thy Servant! He is deaf and three parts blind. He cannot catch Thy Commandments. He cannot read Thy Mind. Oh, leave him not to his loneliness; nor make him that kitten's scorn. He hath had none other God than Thee since the year that he was born. 7 Lord, look down on Thy Servant! Bad things have come to pass. There is no heat in the midday sun, nor health in the wayside grass. His bones are full of an old disease - his torments run and increase. Lord, make haste with Thy Lightnings and grant him a quick release!
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He drank strong waters and his speech was coarse;
He purchased raiment and forbore to pay;
He stuck a trusting junior with a horse,
And won gymkhanas in a doubtful way.
Then, 'twixt a vice and folly, turned aside
To do good deeds—and straight to cloak them, lied.
The Mess Room
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