Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE COURIER, by ARTHUR E. GLEED


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE COURIER, by                    
First Line: So... You have come at last!
Last Line: After all these years.
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The


So . . . you have come at last!
After all these years of waiting;
Time and again my hand upon the latch
To let you in:
Until it seemed a mere game of hazard
I could not win.

Once, when we were laughing all together,
Friends in a friendly room,
Playing some game of sweet forgetfulness, --
Outside, the wind and rain, --
Sudden, I seemed to hear your signal!
But it was only a dead branch
Tapping with thin fingers
At the window pane.

Once, when the world was wintry white,
Hearing the latch uplift, I said,
"Surely he would not come tonight,
This work undone, -- so late?"
And looking through the open door,
I saw the lean grey wolf slink with sly smile
Through the outer gate.

So here's an end to waiting.
No more my hand upon the latch.
No more of plans and schemes,
And I, who thought to move a world,
Leave all -- all -- even dreams.

O Death! I did not think to see spring blossom
With memories of early things,
And feel them flutter at my heart
With warm impatient wings.
I did not think to see this press of kindly faces,
Smiling through happy tears;
I did not know that they were waiting
To make my way so garlanded --
After all these years.





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