The Melancholy Pool

Marked by the priesthood of the Night's misrule, The shadow-cowled, imprecatory trees— Cypress that guarded woodland secrecies And graves that waited for the delaying ghoul, Nathless I neared the melancholy pool, Chief care of all, but closlier sentinelled By those whose roots were deepest in dead eld. Where the thwart-woven boughs were wet and cool As with a mist of poison, I drew near To mark the tired stars peer dimly down Through riven branches from the height of space, And shudder in those waters with quick fear, Where in black deeps the pale moon seemed to drown— A haggard girl, with dead, despairing face.