The Forest

Within the forest of my heart
You came as lightly as a breeze
And singled out with simple art
The one old path among the trees.

You wandered on to the lonely place
Where I was happy many a year
And in a circle blessed with grace
You stood and bade the beasts appear.

The bright-haired tigers formed a ring,
The wolves sat down upon their right,
And a thunderbird with gloomy wing
Shadowed the moon to hide the light.

For back in the shadows were shadows found
That muttered and swayed them to and fro,
But you heard only my faithful hound
Crying the trail of an ancient foe.

And his bugle note now clear now dim
Swelled to you out of the forest deep
But when you would go to follow him
It was sleep again . . . and sleep . . . and sleep.