VIII br br What can I give thee back, O liberal br And princely giver, who hast brought the gold br And purple of thine heart, unstained, untold, br And laid them on the outside of the-wall br For such as I to take or leave withal, br In unexpected largesse? am I cold, br Ungrateful, that for these most manifold br High gifts, I render nothing back at all? br Not so; not cold,—but very poor instead. br Ask God who knows. For frequent tears have run br The colors from my life, and left so dead br And pale a stuff, it were not fitly done br To give the same as pillow to thy head. br Go farther! let it serve to trample on.