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James Stephens

James Stephens

In the Cool of the Evening

I thought I heard Him calling. Did you hear
A sound, a little sound? My curious ear
Is dinned with flying noises, and the tree
Goes—whisper, whisper, whisper silently
Till all its whispers spread into the sound
Of a dull roar. Lie closer to the ground,
The shade is deep and He may pass us by.
We are so very small, and His great eye,
Customed to starry majesties, may gaze
Too wide to spy us hiding in the maze;
Ah, misery! the sun has not yet gone
And we are naked: He will look upon
Our crouching shame, may make us stand upright
Burning in terror—O that it were night!
He may not come . . . what! listen, list now—
He is here! lie closer . . . Adam, where art thou?

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Other works by James Stephens...
The Horse

A sparrow hopped about the street, And he was not a bit afraid; He flew between a horse’s feet, And ate his supper undismayed: I think myself the horse knew well
The Old Man

An old man sat beneath a tree Alone; So still was he That, if he had been carved in sto… He could not be
I Heard a Bird at Dawn

I heard a bird at dawn Singing sweetly on a tree, That the dew was on the lawn, And the wind was on the lea; But I didn’t listen to him,
The Fifteen Acres

I cling and swing On a branch, or sing Through the cool, clear hush of M… Or fling my wing On the air, and bring
Westland Row

Every Sunday there’s a throng Of pretty girls, who trot along In a pious, breathless state (They are nearly always late) To the Chapel, where they pray
Midnight

And then I wakened up in such a f… I thought I heard a movement in t… But did not dare to look; I snugg… Down underneath the bedclothes—the… Of a tremendous voice said, ‘Sit…
The Cow

Cow, Cow! I and thou Are looking at each other’s eyes You are lying on the grass Eating every time I pass,
In the Orchard

There was a giant by the Orchard… Peeping about on this side and on… And feeling in the trees: he was a… As the big apple tree, and twice a… His beard was long, and bristly-bl…
The Wind

The wind stood up and gave a shout… He whistled on his fingers and Kicked the withered leaves about And thumped the branches with his… And said that he’d kill and kill,
White Fields

In the winter time we go Walking in the fields of snow; Where there is no grass at all; Where the top of every wall, Every fence, and every tree,
The Coolun

Come with me, under my coat, And we will drink our fill Of the milk of the white goat, Or wine, if it be thy will; And we will talk until
The Shell

AND then I pressed the shell Close to my ear And listened well, And straightway like a bell Came low and clear
The White Wido

The moon comes every night to peep Through the window where I lie, And I pretend to be asleep; But I watch the moon as it goes b… And it never makes a sound.
The Secret

I was frightened, for a wind Crept along the grass to say Something that was in my mind Yesterday— Something that I did not know
The Ancient Elf

I am the maker, The builder, the breaker, The eagle-winged helper, The speedy forsaker! The lance and the lyre,



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