Ratcliffe Meg

Then methought I saw another sight:
Darkness — a Garret — a rushlight dying —
On the broken-down bed a Sailor lying,
Sleeping fast, in the feeble light;—

The Wind is wailing, the Rain is weeping
She croucheth there in the chamber dim,
She croucheth there with her e) L:S on him
As he lieth sleeping —
Hark! hark!

Who cries outside in the dark?
Only the Wind on its way,
Only the wild gusts astray,
In Tiger Bay.

Still as a child the Sailor lies:—
She waits — she watches — is she human?
Is she a Tigress? is she a Woman?
Look at the gleam of her deep-set eyes!
Bloated and stain'd in every feature,
With iron jaws, throat knotted and bare,
Eyes deep sunken, jet black hair,
Crouches the creature.
Hark! hark!

Who cries outside in the dark?
Only the Wind on its way,
Only the wild gusts astray,
In Tiger Bay.

Hold her! scream! or the man is dead;
A knife in her tight-clench'd hand is gleaming;
She will kill the man as he lieth dreaming!

Her eyes are fixed, her throat swells red.
The Wind is wailing, the Rain is weeping;
She is crawling closer — O Angels that love him!
She holds her breath and bends above him,
While he stirreth sleeping.

Hark! hark!

Who cries outside in the dark?
Only the Wind on its way,
Only the wild gusts astray
In Tiger Bay.

A silken purse doth the sleeper clutch,
And the gold peeps through with a fatal glimmer!
She creepeth near — the light grows dimmer —
Her thick throat swells, and she thirsts to touch.
She looks — she pants with a feverish hunger —
She dashes the black hair out of her eyes —

She glares at his face ... he smiles and sighs—
And the face looks younger.

Hark! hark!

Who cries outside in the dark?
Only the Wind on its way,
Only the wild gusts astray
In Tiger Bay.

She gazeth on, — he doth not stir —
Her fierce eyes close, her brute lip quivers;
She longs to strike, but she shrinks and shivers:
The light on his face appalleth her.
The Wind is wailing, the Rain is weeping:
Something holds her — her wild eyes roll;
His Soul shines out, and she fears his Soul,
Tho' he lieth sleeping.
Hark! hark!

Who cries outside in the dark?
Only the Wind on its way,
Only the wild gusts astray
In Tiger Bay.