Page:Poems Greenwell.djvu/135

They fed each other kind—
 For slender food these gentle Babes require—
With here and there a berry, left behind
 On ragged thorn or brier.

And closer, as the dew
 Fell dank, unto each other's side they crept;
And closer, closer to each other drew
 For warmth, before they slept;

For by some law, these two
 Together born, together linked for aye,
Could only die together! so they knew
 What time their hour drew nigh.

And oft amid the chill
 They woke, and listened for each other's breath,
And felt a pulse beat feebly; all was still,
 And yet it was not Death!

"Still, Brother, thou art warm,"
 They whispered to each other; till its fold
Relaxing languidly, each little arm
 Grew stiff, and both were cold.

No pious Robins there
 Brought leaves; but smitten with a late remorse,
A pitying Spirit of the upper air
 Wept kind above each corse;