The Forest Of Dreams.

I. Where was I last Friday night? Within the forest of dark dreams Following the blur of a goblin-light, That led me over ugly streams, Whereon the scum of the spawn was spread, And the blistered slime, in stagnant seams; Where the weed and the moss swam black and dead, Like a drowned girl's hair in the ropy ooze: And the jack-o'-lantern light that led, Flickered the fox-fire trees o'erhead, And the owl-like things at airy cruise. II. Where was I last Friday night? Within the forest of dark dreams Following a form of shadowy white With my own wild face it seems. Did a raven's wing just flap my hair? Or a web-winged bat brush by my face? Or the hand of something I did not dare Look round to see in that obscene place? Where the boughs, with leaves a-devil's-dance, And the thorn-tree bush, where the wind made moan, Had more than a strange significance Of life and of evil not their own. III. Where was I last Friday night? Within the forest of dark dreams Seeing the mists rise left and right, Like the leathery fog that heaves and steams From the rolling horror of Hell's red streams. While the wind, that tossed in the tattered tree, And danced alone with the last mad leaf ... Or was it the wind?... kept whispering me "Now bury it here with its own black grief, And its eyes of fire you can not brave!" And in the darkness I seemed to see My own self digging my soul a grave.