Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.
La Fraisne
By Ezra Pound
F
Being in all things wise, and very old;
But I have put aside this folly and the cold
That old age weareth for a cloak.
The young men at the sword-play;
But I have put aside this folly, being gay
In another fashion that more suiteth me.
I have hidden my face where the oak
Spread his leaves over me, and the yoke
Of the old ways of men have I cast aside.
Have I found me a bride
That was a dog-wood tree some syne.
She hath called me from mine old ways;
She hath hushed my rancor of council,
Bidding me praise
Till men say that I am mad;
But I have seen the sorrow of men, and am glad,
For I know that the wailing and bitterness are a folly.
And I? I have put aside all folly and all grief.
I wrapped my tears in an ellum leaf
And left them under a stone;
And now men call me mad because I have thrown
All folly from me, putting it aside
To leave the old barren ways of men,
Because my bride
Is a pool of the wood; and
Though all men say that I am mad
It is only that I am glad—
Very glad, for my bride hath toward me a great love
That is sweeter than the love of women
That plague and burn and drive one away.
Quite gay, for I have her alone here
And no man troubleth us.
And they said I was quite strong, among the young men …
Once there was a woman …
… but I forget … she was …
… I hope she will not come again.
I think she hurt me once, but …
That was very long ago.
In the ash trees here:
For we are quite alone,
Here mid the ash trees.