22. Dark House, The. Sassoon, Siegfried. 1920. Picture-Show

Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967). Picture-Show. 1920.

22. The Dark House

DUSK in the rain-soaked garden,
And dark the house within.
A door creaked: someone was early
To watch the dawn begin.
But he stole away like a thief	5
In the chilly, star-bright air:
Though the house was shuttered for slumber,
He had left one wakeful there.

Nothing moved in the garden.
Never a bird would sing,	10
Nor shake and scatter the dew from the boughs
With shy and startled wing.
But when that lover had passed the gate
A quavering thrush began...
‘Come back; come back!’ he shrilled to the heart	15
Of the passion-plighted man.