OUT in the wastes of the West countrie,
Out where the white stars shine,
Grim and silent as such men be,
Rideth a man with a history-
Anthony Considine.
For the ways of men they are manifold
As their differing views in life;
Some sell themselves for the lust of gold,
And some for the lust of strife:
But this man counted the world well lost
For the love of his neighbour’s wife.
They fled together, as those must flee
Whom all men hold in blame;
Each to the other must all things be
Who cross the gulf of iniquity
And live in the land of shame.
But a light-o’-love, if she sins with one,
She sinneth with ninety-nine:
The rule holds good since the world begun-
Since ever the streams began to run
And the stars began to shine.
The rule holds still, and he found it true-
Anthony Considine.
A nobler spirit had turned in scorn
From a love that was stained with mire;
A weaker being might mourn and mourn
For the loss of his Heart’s Desire:
But the anger of Anthony Considine
Blazed up like a gaming fire
And she, with her new love, presently
Came past with her eyes ashine;
And Gad so willed it, and God knows why,
She turned and laughed as they passed hire by-
Anthony Considine.
Her laughter stung as a whip might sting;
And mad with his wounded pride
He turned and sprang with a panther’s spring,
And struck at his rival’s side:
And only the woman, shuddering,
Could tell how the dead man died!
She dared not speak-and the mystery
Is buried in auld lang syne,
But out on the wastes of the West countrie,
Grim and silent as such men be,
Rideth a man with a history’
Anthony Considine.
(Andrew Barton Paterson)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, Life Poems, World Poems, Gold Poems, Spring Poems, Woman Poems, Anger Poems, Desire Poems, Mystery Poems, History PoemsBased on Keywords: willed, weaker, gad, countrie, rideth, anthony, differing, iniquity, panther, gaming, ninety-nine