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And Pennyfields and West India Dock Road
Are to…night a part of my own country；
Aglow with the hues of the Peacock's Tail；
Very amiable to the eye。
In a recess of my heart
Is a poor street hung with lanterns。
These lanterns are my thoughts；
And they are lighted at the last hours of the evenings；
When through this street
Walks the willowy maiden from the tea…shop across the road。
One Service Breeds Another
One of this person's white…skinned friends； Bill Hawkins；
Who labours at the waterside；
Had occasion； at the time of unkind weather；
To rescue from the certain peril of drowning
One who had slipped from the edge of a wharf to the dock。
Without reward the flower serves the bee。
The mother serves the child with pain and toil。
The soldier serves his king without king's gratitutde。
And this person has noted with much private amusement；
How； since this one service rendered；
Bill Hawkins goes ever from his accustomed path
To add service to service to the one he rescued；
While the rescued one looks ever upon Bill Hawkins
With eyes of no…approval； indeed； with intense disgust。
An Offer of a Lodging
Little maid of the yellow curls
You look sad as you pass my window。
You look as though you would like to creep into some warm nest；
And hide your golden head。
Oh； look； little maid！ I have made you a nest！
Creep into it； and I will hide you away；
Quietly； in the nest of my heart；
I will wrap you around with verses and cover you with fair thoughts。
There is yet one little corner left；
Free from the world's defilement；
One little corner where not a breath of wrong
Shall enter to disturb your slumbering。
And I will cherish you there
In the nest you will make so pure。
I will hold you and guard you safe from the snares of the stony streets。
Be at peace； little maid； and lie in trust；
For though my feet may stumble； and I may fall；
The corner that houses you I will ever keep whole。
Of Two Dwellings
At the lower end of Limehouse Causeway
Is a house where girls surrender their bodies
To the pleasures of base…minded and unpolished men；
In return for shillings。
And on the walls about this house
Blossoms at summer the wild white rose。
In a tiny room at the top of a tenement
Lives a white maid of surpassing virtue；
Gentle in manner and quiet and dutiful；
Combing her golden curls each morning
Before a window that looks out to hell；
That looks upon cesspools of mud； and mounds of refuse and the offal of the shops。
Concerning English Gambling
One morning； at the season of Clear Weather；
As I sat alone in my Tea…House of the Refined White Lily；
A stranger of affable address approached me；
And showed me； with a multitude of argument；
To what advantage I should come
Were I to place the whole of my substance with him；
Even to my shirt；
As a token of my faith in Ice Cream Cornet for the Lincolnshire。
And because I would not do so；
He withdrew himself from me as from one of mean birth and behaviour；
Reviling me with the name of 〃No…Sport；〃
And other characters of opprobrium。
But this person told him
That he carried always on written leaves
The words of his august father；
Concerning horses and women； and the wind in the hills and the hooting of owls。
He did not tell him that he knew full well
That Ice Cream Cornet was a non…starter for the Lincolnshire。
Of Politicians
Upon a time the amiable Bill Hawkins
Married a fair wife； demure and of chaste repute；
Keeping closely from her； however；
Any knowledge of the manner of man he had been。
Upon the nuptial night；
Awaking and finding himself couched with a woman；
As had happened on divers occasions；
He arose； and dressed and departed；
Leaving at the couch's side four goodly coins。
But in the street；
Remembering the occasion and his present estate of marriage；
He returned with a haste of no…dignity；
Filled with emotions of an entirely disturbing nature；
Fear that his wife should discover his absence
And place evil construction upon it；
Being uppermost。
Entering stealthily； then； with the toes of the leopard；
With intention of quickly disrobing；
And rejoining the forsaken bride；
He perceived her sitting erect on the couch；
Biting shrewdly； with a distressing air of experience；
At one of the coins。
Even so it is when Big Politician meets Little Politician。
Of the Great White War
During the years when the white men fought each other；
I observed how the aged cried aloud in public places
Of honour and chivalry； and the duty of the young；
And how the young ceased doing the pleasant things of youth；
And became suddenly old；
And marched away to defend the aged。
And I observed how the aged
Became suddenly young；
And mouthed fair phrases one to the other upon the Supreme Sacrifice；
And turned to their account…books； murmuring gravely：
Business as Usual；
And brought out bottles of wine and drank the health
Of the young men they had sent out to die for them。
At the Time of Clear Weather
In the agreeable public gardens of Poplar
The bushes are bright with buds；
For this is the season of Clear Weather。
There blossom the quiet flowers of this country：
The timid lilac；
The unassuming hawthorn；
The dignified chestnut；
And the girlish laburnum；
And the mandarin of them all is the rhododendron。
In the untilled field of my heart
Many simple buds are bursting。
There is a little bush of kindliness towards all men。
There is a slender tree of forgiveness for all wrongs。
There is a humble growth of repentance for past sins。
And around the field is a thick hedge of thankfulness。
And Ho！ in the midst of all
Stands the tree of a hundred boughs
Laden with the sweetest of all buds
Which are breaking to flower under the sun of a maiden's eyes。
Parent and Child
Often of an evening I take the air
And linger on the bridge by the Isle of Dogs；
And sometimes see
The swan…like shape of the ship that brought me hither。
Often since then that ship has gone
To the land from which it brought me；
And on each voyage my heart accompanies it。
Should I some day in person journey with it；
My honourable father would welcome his little son。
He would not see this worn and tattered one；
This lean and sorrowful son of the waterside。
He would not see this parchment face；
This figure without lustre。
He would see his little son who left him long ago；
For love would brush away the husk of years；
And leave a little child。
Of Worship and Conduct
At the corner of the Causeway on every seventh evening
Gathers the band of Salvation Army；
Making big noise of Washed…in…Blood…of…Lamb。
At temple in East India Dock Road
Men gather in white clothes； and sing；
And march with candles and pray to Lady。
At shop in Pennyfields； many times a day；
This person pays respect to Big Man Joss；
And burns to him prayer…papers and punk…sticks。
And all day long men toil for wife and child；
Wife suffer and stint to make bigger plate for child；
Child beg in street to get food for sick mother；
Sister wear ragged clothes for sake of little brother。
And none of these has bowed to Joss；
Or marched with candle；
Or washed in blood of Lamb。
Going to Market
Good morning； Mister； how do you do？
I am going to Salmon Lane； to the cheap market for dainty foods。
Won't you come with me； Mister？
I shall buy meat and fish and a loaf of bread；
And fresh fruit and potatoes；
I shall buy a cluster of flowers and a bottle of wine；
Some butter and some jam；
And biscuits； and nuts and candy。
For I give an English feast to…night to a friend with yellow curls；
And every dish will be cooked by me。
Into the pot will go sharp spices；
To flavour your English meats：
Cayenne and thyme； and sage and salt；
A sprig of parsley for garnish；
And some delicate bamboo shoots。
But the sweetest spice will not be seen；
It will leap from my heart to the pot as I stir it。
I am going to gather it on the way to the market
》From my own sweet thoughts and from elegant conversation
With notable misters。
Won't you come with me？
A Portrait
How shall I write of you； little friend；
To my father on the River of Serenity？
I will tell him of your t