| BLUE in the west the mountain stands, | |
| And through the long twilight | |
| Vickery sits with folded hands, | |
| And Vickery’s eyes are bright. | |
| |
| Bright, for he knows what no man else | 5 |
| On earth as yet may know: | |
| There’s a golden word that he never tells, | |
| And a gift that he will not show. | |
| |
| He dreams of honor and wealth and fame, | |
| He smiles, and well he may; | 10 |
| For to Vickery once a sick man came | |
| Who did not go away. | |
| |
| The day before the day to be, | |
| “Vickery,” said the guest, | |
| “You know as you live what’s left of me— | 15 |
| And you shall know the rest. | |
| |
| “You know as you live that I have come | |
| To this we call the end. | |
| No doubt you have found me troublesome, | |
| But you’ve also found a friend; | 20 |
| |
| “For we shall give and you shall take | |
| The gold that is in view; | |
| The mountain there and I shall make | |
| A golden man of you. | |
| |
| “And you shall leave a friend behind | 25 |
| Who neither frets nor feels; | |
| And you shall move among your kind | |
| With hundreds at your heels. | |
| |
| “Now this that I have written here | |
| Tells all that need be told; | 30 |
| So, Vickery, take the way that’s clear. | |
| And be a man of gold.” | |
| |
| Vickery turned his eyes again | |
| To the far mountain-side, | |
| And wept a tear for worthy men | 35 |
| Defeated and defied. | |
| |
| Since then a crafty score of years | |
| Have come, and they have gone; | |
| But Vickery counts no lost arrears: | |
| He lingers and lives on. | 40 |
| |
| Blue in the west the mountain stands, | |
| Familiar as a face. | |
| Blue, but Vickery knows what sands | |
| Are golden at its base. | |
| |
| He dreams and lives upon the day | 45 |
| When he shall walk with kings. | |
| Vickery smiles—and well he may. | |
| The life-caged linnet sings. | |
| |
| Vickery thinks the time will come | |
| To go for what is his; | 50 |
| But hovering, unseen hands at home | |
| Will hold him where he is. | |
| |
| There’s a golden word that he never tells | |
| And a gift that he will not show. | |
| All to be given to some one else— | 55 |
| And Vickery not to know. | |
