sweep the faint strings,musician/ with thy long lean hand: downward the starry tapers burn/ sinks soft the waning sand/ the old hound whimpers crouched in sleep/ the embers smoulder low/ across the walls the shadows come and go sweep softly thy strings, musician/ the minutes mount to hours/ frost on the windless casement weaves/ a labyrinth of flowers/ ghosts linger in the darkening air/ hearken at the open door/ music hath called them, dreaming/ home one more. (poem by "Walter de La Mare" circa 1920)