| Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935). Collected Poems. 1921. |
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| II. The Children of the Night |
| 16. Amaryllis |
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| ONCE, when I wandered in the woods alone, | |
| An old man tottered up to me and said, | |
| “Come, friend, and see the grave that I have made | |
| For Amaryllis.” There was in the tone | |
| Of his complaint such quaver and such moan | 5 |
| That I took pity on him and obeyed, | |
| And long stood looking where his hands had laid | |
| An ancient woman, shrunk to skin and bone. | |
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| Far out beyond the forest I could hear | |
| The calling of loud progress, and the bold | 10 |
| Incessant scream of commerce ringing clear; | |
| But though the trumpets of the world were glad, | |
| It made me lonely and it made me sad | |
| To think that Amaryllis had grown old. | |
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