49 



CHAPTEK IV 



WE have had cold winds lately, and before that 

 strange fogs and mists. 



THE FOG 



A BALLAD OF DEMOGORGON 



' And Demogorgon, a tremendous gloom.' 



SHELLEY. Prometheus Unbound. 



DEMOGORGON came up the street, 



His face was dark and his wings were fleet, 



And Demogorgon smelt far from sweet. 



Demogorgon grew more and more, 

 Up he came, and I fled before ; 

 The sea behind did ramp and roar. 



I had not time to reach my gate 



When Demogorgon came up like fate, 



And fell upon me, and swallowed me straight. 



He swallowed me up and he swallowed me down, 



He swallowed me all with my cloak so brown ; 



And he swallowed the hills and the sea and the town. 



He has left but the bones of the skeleton trees ; 



He has left me poor painter! to sneeze and to 



wheeze : 



What else can I do without light, if you please; 

 Unless to make doggerel verses like these ? 



E 



