Aelfrida
Tillyard .
Was all
resistless
borne.
I
oped my eyes .
There were two
doctors
near,
Resolute
and
grave .
To myself
I seemed
No more myself
but
some strange
battlefield ,
Whereon
they
fought against an unseen
foe .
I
saw my mother ; and
him
whose
love had made
My life
an
ecstasy
of
joy
and
pain
.
Between
these
two
an
angel stood
,
all grey
,
With
grey
wings
softer
than
a
seamew
's
breast
And
eyes all
shrouded
from
the
gaze
of
men
.
"
Lo
,
this
is
Death
,”
I
mused
,
“
all robed
in
grey
."
And
still
th'
enchanted
drowsy
stream
flowed
on,
Beating
some
rhythmic music
in
my
ears
Until
the
sea
should
silence
all
at
last
.
Overhead
my
children
slept
.
And
I
thought
“
What
when
they
wake
,
and
,
calling
for me
,
Find
that
there
is
no
longer
Mother
there
?
"
Then
gathered
I
my
strength
and
fashioned
it
To
prayer
,
and
took my love
and made
it
wings
Wherewith
to
fly
to
God
's
far
-
distant throne
.
I
felt that with
the gift
of
that one prayer
I
surely
gave my children
all
I
had
.
While
lower
,
swifter
sped
the
drowsy
stream
While
yet the angel
stood all hooded
,
by
my
bed
.
And
here
,
there
,
with anxious
decided
steps
,
The doctors
walked
.
My left hand
lay
in
yours
.
The day
broke
,
and
the
pale
light
all
unreal
,
Came
creeping
in
my
room
.
Then
all
the birds
Chorused
with
deafening
clamour
from
the
trees
,
The
sun weighed
down
the
earth
with
heavy
bars
191