159 . Hamilton

WILD and wet, and windy wet falls the night on Hamilton,

Hamilton that seaward looks unto the setting sun,

Lady of the patient face, lifted everlastingly,

Veiled and hushed and mystical as a cloistered nun.

O the days, the cruel days creeping over Hamilton

Like a train of haggard ghosts, homeless and accursed,

Moaning for a fleet o’ dream silver-sailed and wonderful,

Moaning for a sorrow’s sake, the fairest and the first.

O the moon, the lonely moon, leaning low on Hamilton,

Thro’ the years that sunder us the dead come back, come back,

Scent of white eucrephia stars blown on winds of Memory,

Glint and gleam of fagus gold adown the torrent’s track.

Half my heart is buried there, buried high on Hamilton,

Lonely is the sepulchre with never stone for sign,

Where the nodding myrtle-plumes stand like sable sentinels

And the ruddy rimony wreathes the hooded pine.

Half my heart is yearning yet, yearning yet for Hamilton,

Hamilton beyond the surge of sobbing Southern main,

O the croon of wistful winds calling, calling, calling me,

Where the mottled mountain thrush is singing in the rain.

We shall ne’er go back again, back again to Hamilton,

Heart o’ me, our track is toward the heart of burning day,

Hills beyond the call of hills beaconing and beckoning—

Westward, westward winds the track, a thread of dusky grey.