UNDER the fluent folds of needlework, br Where Balkis prick'd the histories of kings br Once great as he, that were as greatly loved, br Solomon stooped, and saw the dusk unfold br Over the apple orchards like a flower. br 'O bloom of eve,' he said, 'diviner loss br Of all light gave us, dove of the whole world, br Bearing the branch of peace, the dark, sweet bough,– br Endure a little longer, ere full night br Comes stark from God and terrible with stars, br Eternal as He or love. br br Now no one wakes, br But a lean gardener by my apricots, br Sweeping the withered leaves, the yellowing leaves br Down the wind's road. Perish our years with them, br Our griefs, our little hungers, our poor sins, br Leaves that the Lord hath scattered. He shall quench br The fierce, impetuous torches of the sun,– br Yea, from our dead dust He shall quicken kings, br Unleash new battles, sharpen spears unborn, br Shadow on shadow; but His stars remain br Immortal, and love immortal crowned with them.' br br Night came, and all the hosts thereof. He saw br Arcturus clear the doorways of the cloud, br And One that followed with his shining sons, br In the likeness of a gardener that strode br Over the windy hollows of the sky, br And with a great broom drave the stars in heaps,– br The yellow stars, the little withering stars, br Faint drifts along the darkness. New stars came, br Budded, and flowered, and fell. These too He swept, br And all the heavens were changed. br br Then Solomon stood br Silent, nor ever turned to the Queen's kiss.