Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FEATHER, by FORD MADOX FORD



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FEATHER, by                     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.





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