389

There's been a Death, in the Opposite House,
As lately as Today-
I know it, by the numb look
Such Houses have-alway-

The Neighbors rustle in and out-
The Doctor-drives away-
A Window opens like a Pod-
Abrupt-mechanically-

Somebody flings a Mattress out-
The Children hurry by-
They wonder if it died-on that-
I used to-when a Boy-

The Minister-goes stiffly in-
As if the House were His-
And He owned all the Mourners-now-
And little Boys-besides-

And then the Milliner-and the Man
Of the Appalling Trade-
To take the measure of the House-

There'll be that Dark Parade-

Of Tassels-and of Coaches-soon-
It's easy as a Sign-
The Intuition of the News-
In just a Country Town-