In a still room at hush of dawn, <br /> My Love and I lay side by side <br /> And heard the roaming forest wind <br /> Stir in the paling autumn-tide. <br /> I watched her earth-brown eyes grow glad <br /> Because the round day was so fair; <br /> While memories of reluctant night <br /> Lurked in the blue dusk of her hair. <br /> Outside, a yellow maple tree, <br /> Shifting upon the silvery blue <br /> With tiny multitudinous sound, <br /> Rustled to let the sunlight through. <br /> <br /> The livelong day the elvish leaves <br /> Danced with their shadows on the floor; <br /> And the lost children of the wind <br /> Went straying homeward by our door. <br /> <br /> And all the swarthy afternoon <br /> We watched the great deliberate sun <br /> Walk through the crimsoned hazy world, <br /> Counting his hilltops one by one. <br /> <br /> Then as the purple twilight came <br /> And touched the vines along our eaves, <br /> Another Shadow stood without <br /> And gloomed the dancing of the leaves. <br /> <br /> The silence fell on my Love's lips; <br /> Her great brown eyes were veiled and sad <br /> With pondering some maze of dream, <br /> Through all the splendid year was glad. <br /> <br /> Restless and vague as a gray wind <br /> Her heart had grown, she knew not why. <br /> But hurrying to the open door, <br /> Against the verge of western sky <br /> <br /> I saw retreating on the hills, <br /> Looming and sinister and black, <br /> The stealthy figure swift and huge <br /> Of One who strode and looked not back.<br /><br />Bliss Carman<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-eavesdropper/
