Caroling Dusk/Del Cascar

by William Stanley Braithwaite

For other versions of this work, see Del Cascar.

DEL CASCAR

Del Cascar, Del CascarStood upon a flaming star,Stood and let his feet hang downTill in China the toes turned brown.

And he reached his fingers overThe rim of the sea, like sails from Dover,And caught a Mandarin at prayer,And tickled his nose in Orion’s hair.

The sun went down through crimson bars,And left his blind face battered with stars—But the brown toes in China keptHot the tears Del Cascar wept.