Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Poems by William Allingham (Author: William Allingham)

poem 9

After Sunset

  1. The vast and solemn company of clouds
    Around the Sun's death, lit, incarnadined,
    Cool into ashy wan; as Night enshrouds
    The level pasture, creeping up behind
    Through voiceless vales, o'er lawn and purpled hill
    And haséd mead, her mystery to fulfil.
    Cows low from far-off farms; the loitering wind
    Sighs in the hedge, you hear it if you will,—
    Tho' all the wood, alive atop with wings
    Lifting and sinking through the leafy nooks,
    Seethes with the clamour of a thousand rooks.
    Now every sound at length is hush'd away.
    These few are sacred moments. One more Day
    Drops in the shadowy gulf of bygone things.

    2. p.50