Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FEATHER, by FORD MADOX FORD Poet's Biography First Line: I wonder dost thou sleep at night Last Line: Friend of mine, my enemy. Alternate Author Name(s): Hueffer, Ford Hermann; Hueffer, Ford Madox Subject(s): Enemies; Friendship; Friendship - False Friends; Judas Iscariot (d. 30 A.d.); Fair Weather Friends | ||||||||
I WONDER dost thou sleep at night, False friend and falser enemy! I wonder if thy hours are long and drag out wearily! We've passed days and nights together In our time...But that white feather That the wind's blown past the roof ridge It is gone. ...So I from thee! Aye, chase it o'er the courtyard stones. Past friend of mine, my enemy! Chase on beneath the chestnut boughs and out toward the sea, If the fitful wind should fail it, Thou may'st catch it, and may'st trail it In midden's mud and garbage... As thou hast my thoughts of thee. So I wonder dost thou sleep at night? Once friend of mine, my enemy? Or whether dost thou toss and turn to plan new treachery? As the feather thou hast trodden So my thoughts of thee are sodden When I think. ...Yes, half forgotten, A faint taste of something rotten Comes at times, like worm-struck wood ash Comes at times, the thought of thee. But I would not have thy night thoughts As the slow clock beats to dayward! I'll be sleeping with my eyes shut, Dreaming deep, or dreaming wayward. And I hear thee turn and mutter As thy dawn-ward candles gutter For thou fear'st the dark... Hark! "Judas!" Says the dawn wind from the sea. Round the house it whispers "Judas!" Friend of mine, my enemy. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GOLDEN ODES OF PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA: LEBID by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT HOBOKEN, 1825 by ROBERT STEVENSON COFFIN VISIONS IN VERSE: 4. CONTENT by NATHANIEL COTTON I OFTEN THINK by OLIVER MURRAY EDWARDS FRIAR-BACON: LOVE-SUPPLANTER by ROBERT GREENE TO A FALSE FRIEND by THOMAS HOOD FRIEND AND FOE by WINIFRED LUCAS |
|