THE ALARUM
With its rat’s tooth the clock
Gnaws away delight.
Piece by piece, piece by piece
It will gnaw away to-night,
Till the coiled spring released
Rouses me with a hiss
To a day, to another night
Less happy than this.
And yet my own hands wound it
To keep watch while I slept;
For though they be with sorrow,
Appointments must be kept.