Page:Collected poems Robinson, Edwin Arlington.djvu/202

 And she was in it only for four weeks In fifty-two. But those great bites of time Made all September a Queen's Festival; And they would strive, informally, to make The most of them. The mother understood, And wisely stepped away. Aunt Imogen Was there for only one- month in the year, While she, the mother, she was always there; And that was what made all the difference. She knew it must be so, for Jane had once Expounded it to her so learnedly That she had looked away from the -child's eyes And thought; and she had thought of many things. There was a demonstration every time Aunt Imogen appeared, and there was more Than one this time. And she was at. a loss Just how to name the meaning of it all: It puzzled her to think that she could be So much to any crazy thing alive Even to her sister’s little sauvages Who knew no better than to be themselves; Eut in the midst of her glad, wonderment She found herself besieged and overcome By two tight arms and one tumultuous head, And therewith half bewildered and half pained Ey the joy she felt and by the sudden love That proved itself in childhood's honest noise. Jane, by the wings of sex, had reached her first; And while she strangled her, approvingly, Sylvester thumped his drum and Young George howled. But finally, when all was rectified, And she had stilled the clamor of Young George By giving him a long ride on her shoulders, They went together into the old room