<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="" class="head">The Grey Country</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I <span class="smallcaps">dreamt</span> a dream on November Night</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Of the dear souls that wait in pain</p><p class="line">For the full Vision, the Delight,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Beauty that shall not change nor wane.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The grey country's to Heaven close,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Not Heaven but almost Heaven's twin;</p><p class="line">As a grey rose to a gold rose,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">As a grey image faint and thin.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">In the grey land were bliss enough</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Did not the Vision shine and gleam,</p><p class="line">Turning the softest ways to rough</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Until they might attain to Him?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mary walking in Heaven's bower</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Heard the sighing after her Son:</p><p class="line">Give me Thy Mercy for an hour,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Thou who wert once my little one!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mary came with stars in her hair,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The new moon was under her feet;</p><p class="line">In the grey world so still and fair</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The heart of the world began to beat.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Some were clinging beside her skirt,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Soul on soul like a flock of birds;</p><p class="line">Others nested, oh past desert!</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">On the heart that had seven swords.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mary gathers them one and all,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Many a one late home from war,</p><p class="line">As they were children tender and small-</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Sweetly gathers them all to her.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">As a green tree in a bird's flight</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I saw Mary amid her flock,</p><p class="line">Carrying souls in her veil white,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Hiding them warm in her blue cloak.</p></div></body></html> · Great War