Page:Anthology of Magazine Verse (1921).djvu/222

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Their troubled dreams of death and birthPulse mother-o'-pearl to black:I bear the rainbow bubble EarthSquare on my scornful back.
The New RepublicElinor Wylie


THE CHURCH-BELL
As I was lying in my bedI heard the church-bell ring;Before one solemn word was saidA bird began to sing.
I heard a dog begin to barkAnd a bold crowing cock;The bell, between the cold and dark,Tolled. It was five o'clock.
The church-bell tolled, and the bird sang,A clear true voice he had;The cock crew, and the church-bell rang,I knew it had gone mad.
A hand reached down from the dark skies,It took the bell-rope thong,The bell cried "Look! Lift up your eyes!"The clapper shook to song.
The iron clapper laughed aloud,Like clashing wind and wave;The bell cried out "Be strong and proud!"Then, with a shout, "Be brave!"

207

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.