Silently

He heard the careless parley of his men,

And thought of how the Spring should come again,

That garish strumpet with her world-old lure,

To waken hope where nothing may endure,

To quicken love where loving is betrayed.

Yet now and then some dream of Jamie made

Slow music in him for a little while;

And they who rode beside him saw a smile

Glimmer upon that ruined face of gray,