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(Eskimo)
THEY never come back, though I loved them well; | |
| I watch the South in vain; | |
| The snow-bound skies are blear and grey, | |
| Waste and wide is the wild gull’s way, | |
| And she comes never again. | 5 |
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| Years agone, on the flat white strand, | |
| I won my sweet sea-girl: | |
| Wrapped in my coat of the snow-white fur, | |
| I watched the wild birds settle and stir, | |
| The grey gulls gather and whirl. | 10 |
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| One, the greatest of all the flock, | |
| Perched on an ice-floe bare, | |
| Called and cried as her heart were broke, | |
| And straight they were changed, that fleet bird-folk, | |
| To women young and fair. | 15 |
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| Swift I sprang from my hiding-place | |
| And held the fairest fast; | |
| I held her fast, the sweet, strange thing: | |
| Her comrades skirled, but they all took wing, | |
| And smote me as they passed. | 20 |
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| I bore her safe to my warm snow house; | |
| Full sweetly there she smiled; | |
| And yet, whenever the shrill winds blew, | |
| She would beat her long white arms anew, | |
| And her eyes glanced quick and wild. | 25 |
| |
| But I took her to wife, and clothed her warm | |
| With skins of the gleaming seal; | |
| Her wandering glances sank to rest | |
| When she held a babe to her fair, warm breast, | |
| And she loved me dear and leal. | 30 |
| |
| Together we tracked the fox and the seal, | |
| And at her behest I swore | |
| That bird and beast my bow might slay | |
| For meat and for raiment, day by day, | |
| But never a grey gull more. | 35 |
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| A weariful watch I keep for aye | |
| ’Mid the snow and the changeless frost: | |
| Woe is me for my broken word! | |
| Woe, woe’s me for my bonny bird, | |
| My bird and the love-time lost! | 40 |
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| Have ye forgotten the old keen life? | |
| The hut with the skin-strewn floor? | |
| O winged white wife, and children three, | |
| Is there no room left in your hearts for me, | |
| Or our home on the low sea-shore? | 45 |
| |
| Once the quarry was scarce and shy, | |
| Sharp hunger gnawed us sore, | |
| My spoken oath was clean forgot, | |
| My bow twanged thrice with a swift, straight shot, | |
| And slew me sea-gulls four. | 50 |
| |
| The sun hung red on the sky’s dull breast, | |
| The snow was wet and red; | |
| Her voice shrilled out in a woful cry, | |
| She beat her long white arms on high, | |
| ‘The hour is here,’ she said. | 55 |
| |
| She beat her arms, and she cried full fain | |
| As she swayed and wavered there. | |
| ‘Fetch me the feathers, my children three, | |
| Feathers and plumes for you and me, | |
| Bonny grey wings to wear!’ | 60 |
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| They ran to her side, our children three, | |
| With the plumage black and grey; | |
| Then she bent her down and drew them near, | |
| She laid the plumes on our children dear, | |
| ’Mid the snow and the salt sea-spray. | 65 |
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| ‘Babes of mine, of the wild wind’s kin, | |
| Feather ye quick, nor stay. | |
| Oh, oho! but the wild winds blow! | |
| Babes of mine, it is time to go: | |
| Up, dear hearts, and away!’ | 70 |
| |
| And lo! the grey plumes covered them all, | |
| Shoulder and breast and brow. | |
| I felt the wind of their whirling flight: | |
| Was it sea or sky? was it day or night? | |
| It is always night-time now. | 75 |
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| Dear, will you never relent, come back? | |
| I loved you long and true. | |
| O winged white wife, and our children three, | |
| Of the wild wind’s kin though ye surely be, | |
| Are ye not of my kin too? | 80 |
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| Ay, ye once were mine, and, till I forget, | |
| Ye are mine forever and aye, | |
| Mine, wherever your wild wings go, | |
| While shrill winds whistle across the snow | |
| And the skies are blear and grey. | 85 |
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