The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly (5.1895)

By William Watson 17

Leaned unto thee, her bondsman, who keepest to-day her
commandments,

All for the sake of old love, dead at thy heart though it
lie.

IV

Yea, it is we, light perverts, that waver, and shift our alle-
giance ;

We, whom insurgence of blood dooms to be barren
and waste ;

We, unto Nature imputing our frailties, our fever and
tumult ;

We, that with dust of our strife sully the hue of her
peace.

Thou, with punctual Service, fulfillest thy task, being con-
stant ;

Thine but to ponder the Law, labour and greatly
obey :

Wherefore, with leapings of spirit, thou chantest the chant
of the faithful,

Chantest aloud at thy toil, cleansing the Earth of her
stain ;

Leagued