He blows the noiseless reed which none may hear
Save such as he would draw unto his hand.
He takes a tribute of the waking year,
And wanders, piping, through the flowery land.
And there a locust hears him and is mute;
And here a rabbit leaves a nibbled root
To hark and understand.
O piper in the shadows, pipe once more!
Send but one call from out the fading west!
Aye, though I crouch behind my cavern door,