(in memoriam Walter De La Mare, 1873-1956)
Grant me one wish
grant me two,
grant me a best friend
honest and true.
Set us adventures
with dagger and cape
then give us the means
by which to escape.
Grant me one wish
grant me three,
a long career
in banditry.
Give me a woman
cozy as a wren
to play with
in my smuggler’s den.
Grant me one wish
grant me four,
a house on a hill
with a strong oak door.
Away from the valley
where the floods can’t reach
and a hall that echoes
with the night-owl’s screech.
Grant me one wish
grant me five,
a tower of light
from which to dive.
Down to the cobbles,
down to the grass,
grant me a good night’s
sleep, at last.