Page:Poems (Edward Thomas, 1917).djvu/37

 They thought as there was something to find there,

But couldn't find it, by digging, anywhere."

To turn back then and seek him, where was the use?

There were three Manningfords,—Abbots, Bohun, and Bruce:

And whether Alton, not Manningford, it was,

My memory could not decide, because

There was both Alton Barnes and Alton Priors.

All had their churches, graveyards, farms, and byres,

Lurking to one side up the paths and lanes,

Seldom well seen except by aeroplanes;

And when bells rang, or pigs squealed, or cocks crowed,

Then only heard. Ages ago the road

Approached. The people stood and looked and turned,

Nor asked it to come nearer, nor yet learned

To move out there and dwell in all men's dust.

And yet withal they shot the weathercock, just

Because 'twas he crowed out of tune, they said:

So now the copper weathercock is dead.

If they had reaped their dandelions and sold

Them fairly, they could have afforded gold.

Many years passed, and I went back again

Among those villages, and looked for men

Who might have known my ancient. He himself

Had long been dead or laid upon the shelf,

I thought. One man I asked about him roared

At my description: "'Tis old Bottlesford

He means, Bill." But another said: "Of course,

It was Jack Button up at the White Horse.

He's dead, sir, these three years." This lasted till

A girl proposed Walker of Walker's Hill, 31