160

date: 1920-04-08

names-on-the-page: Mr. Allen

transcription: April 8, 1920 - Page 7

Neither in a mailed fist;
No knight whose visor shuts the day
Awhither, rides my way. He who represents
The guardianship, hath naked loins
And bared hands. His brow is unlaurelled
And his lips are strong and his eyes
Are deep, seeing far, far and his
Tongue's pivot is truth.

She followed this with this aphorism:

"Let man announce his fellow a rogue and I'll say 'Can he whistle?'
and if he answers, 'yea,' I'll say, 'Thou liest!"

"It may for to limp but it walketh!"

Then she said to Mr. Allen:

"When I'd fish for a singin' for thee, sirrah, strange
but my net bringeth forth seas, yea and isles, yea
and music, yea and wisdoms o' a stern stuff. But I be
struck wi' whimsies and I'd sing thee a whimsey singin'."

Whereupon she gave him this whimsey and the evening was closed.

-My Net of Songs-

Oh, with a song I'd sit
Upon the shore tying a magic net,
Tauting the cords with little hopes,
Tying the ends with fancy,
Weaving, aye weaving, a magic
Net to slip the sairry day.

Oh, with a song I'd sit,
Upon the shore, weavin' a magic seine.
With fingers deft I'd tie and ply
And sing, and sing, and sing,
Makin' the strands.
My little songs all tied and taut
With hopes. And this I'd place within
Thy hand, mine ain, and say,
"Go forth, ye fisher man!
And slip the waters of the day."

(2363)