(It is supposed that Shadow-of-a-Leaf uses the word "clear" in a more ancient sense of "beautiful.")

AS along a dark pine-bough, in slender white mystery

The moon lay to listen, above the thick fern,

In a deep dreaming wood that is older than history

I heard a lad sing, and I stilled me to learn;

So rarely he lilted his long-forgot litany,—

Fall, April; fall, April, in dew on our dearth!

Bring balm, and bring poppy, bring deep sleepy dittany

For Marian, our clear May, so long laid in earth.

Then I drew back the branches. I saw him that chanted it.