Page:A treasury of war poetry, British and American poems of the world war, 1914-1919.djvu/218

 218 CHANNEL SUNSET

HE thorns were blooming red and white,

The blue air throbbed with May's delight;

To live was joy. Loud sang the lark

Of peace and love in Richmond Park.

Our crippled soldiers took the sun,

Glad that their bloody work was done;

Being free to feel the morning's charm,

They grudged no loss of leg or arm.

The yaffles dipped from glade to glade—

Quick gleams of gold and green. I made

A song in my heart. Each hour inspires

Lit by the rhododendron fires.

The cuckoo called: his ancient note

Stirred the world's soul; and mine it smote

With pain. He quested in sad trees

Whose dead limbs shewed their tragedies.