Tangled in Stars

Poems by
Ethelwyn Wetherald

 

THE SUNFLOWERS

When lamps are out and voices fled,
    And moonlight floods the earth like rain,
    I steal outside and cross the lane
And stand beside the sunflower bed;
Each blind, unopened face is turned
5
To where the western glories burned,
    As though the sun might come again,
With some last word he left unsaid.

When Dawn with slender shining hand
    Inscribes a message on the wall,
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    I follow at the silent call
To where my tall sun-lovers stand.
Their wistful heads are lifted high
Toward the flaming eastern sky,
    As though some voice had turned them all,
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Some secret voice of strong command.

Ah, should I from the windowed height
    Keep vigil in the room above,
    And see them lightly, surely move
Through the chill stretches of the night,
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Would not the heart within me burn,
As loyally I watched them turn,
    With sweet undoubting faith and love
From vanished light to dawning light? [Page 15]