A Refugee
Outside your window, venerable with light
The transient dusk, whose tale is never ended,
Paused in a foreigner pausing, used to night
Yet one lamp vicariously befriended.
Learning as evening learns, the grave allegiance
Only to see through glass and not to share
A kingdom kind, a room’s ordained effulgence;
Bound an honour castaway as air
To bruise no gossamer pane, to break no seal.
Briefly as dusk to serve your mellowing altar;
Fate and the night stood steady in his soul,
Who thanked a shadow, fire-defined, for shelter.
