Wolf

when young handsome met a gnome
in grendon woods
his packhorse and his wordly goods
his valet and his darling
they were manifold that way
way oer the greening hill

with a chuckle to the sceptic gnome
intended more a friendly joust
"such a sharp dressed elf as be the toast
of green backed woods are ye
what beast your name small wizened one"
did the hansome say

"remember Starets Smyert mandog "
the gamely gnome repost
and from his cloak a cudgeled arm he held aloft
a raven on its outmost
an owl revealed where heart should be
and diamonds glittered on his elfin broach

young handsome sharp drew his bow of ash
and bent the air
the rending arrow and the slayer
silence flew through grendon woods
and there upon the floor but a single owl does die
pierced by the fletchers art

as retrouve he, feathers gentle take with the breeze
and the carcass the gristle and the venom
dissolve unto the very leaves and sod thus gone
but there remains the clearest stone
brightling smooth and cool as mountain ice
which he lolls within his eye

deep in the stone an iridescent play is set in manifold
in stone york in valley fold
there his valet and his darling, his own cuckold
on whitest cambric sheets they lie
abed of oak carven of his own keen reflex
and surety of eye

handsome bent his bow of ash as if to break
and rent the very air
the sending arrow and the slayer
flew through greenwood limbs, so many furlong more
upon red cambric sheets two lovers both lie dead
pinned by a single dart

when young handsome threw his head aback
and howled his agonies
the pall the greenbrake to the core it shook
half mad, half beast he darts he lurks
a shaddow mid the greenwood leaves
by night in grendon wood