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TREES AND OTHER POEMS

ST. ALEXIS (continued) Bowed with years and pain he came back again

To his father's dwelling place.

There was none to see who this tramp might be,

For they knew not his bearded face.

But his father said, &quot;Give him drink and bread

And a couch underneath the stair.&quot;

So Alexis crept to his hole and slept.

But he might not linger there.

For when night came down on the seven-hilled town,

And the emperor hurried in,

Saying, &quot;Lo, I hear that a saint is near

Who will cleanse us of our sin,&quot;

Then they looked in vain where the saint had lain,

For his soul had fled afar,

From his fleshly home he had gone to roam

Where the gold-paved highways are.

We who beg for bread as we daily tread

Country lane and city street,

Let us kneel and pray on the broad highway

To the saint with the vagrant feet. [ 48 ]