<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Eve</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line">EVE, with her basket, was</p><p class="line">Deep in the bells and grass,</p><p class="line">Wading in bells and grass</p><p class="line">Up to her knees,</p><p class="line">Picking a dish of sweet</p><p class="line">Berries and plums to eat,</p><p class="line">Down in the bells and grass</p><p class="line">Under the trees.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mute as a mouse in a</p><p class="line">Corner the cobra lay,</p><p class="line">Curled round a bough of the</p><p class="line">Cinnamon tall. . . .</p><p class="line">Now to get even and</p><p class="line">Humble proud heaven and</p><p class="line">Now was the moment or</p><p class="line">Never at all.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Eva!" Each syllable</p><p class="line">Light as a flower fell,</p><p class="line">"Eva!" he whispered the</p><p class="line">Wondering maid,</p><p class="line">Soft as a bubble sung</p><p class="line">Out of a linnet's lung,</p><p class="line">Soft and most silverly</p><p class="line">"Eva!" he said.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Picture that orchard sprite,</p><p class="line">Eve, with her body white,</p><p class="line">Supple and smooth to her</p><p class="line">Slim finger tips,</p><p class="line">Wondering, listening,</p><p class="line">Listening, wondering,</p><p class="line">Eve with a berry</p><p class="line">Half-way to her lips.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Oh had our simple Eve</p><p class="line">Seen through the make-believe!</p><p class="line">Had she but known the</p><p class="line">Pretender he was!</p><p class="line">Out of the boughs he came,</p><p class="line">Whispering still her name,</p><p class="line">Tumbling in twenty rings</p><p class="line">Into the grass.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Here was the strangest pair</p><p class="line">In the world anywhere,</p><p class="line">Eve in the bells and grass</p><p class="line">Kneeling, and he</p><p class="line">Telling his story low. . . .</p><p class="line">Singing birds saw them go</p><p class="line">Down the dark path to</p><p class="line">The Blasphemous Tree.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Oh what a clatter when</p><p class="line">Titmouse and Jenny Wren</p><p class="line">Saw him successful and</p><p class="line">Taking his leave!</p><p class="line">How the birds rated him,</p><p class="line">How they all hated him!</p><p class="line">How they all pitied</p><p class="line">Poor motherless Eve!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Picture her crying</p><p class="line">Outside in the lane,</p><p class="line">Eve, with no dish of sweet</p><p class="line">Berries and plums to eat,</p><p class="line">Haunting the gate of the</p><p class="line">Orchard in vain. . . .</p><p class="line">Picture the lewd delight</p><p class="line">Under the hill to-night--</p><p class="line">"Eva!" the toast goes round,</p><p class="line">"Eva!" again.</p></div></body></html> · Great War