The Land of Sunset

And there it was, a tall hill Almost a pyramid, cloaked in green grass and cloud shadow Topped by a grey tower Gaunt, noble against the blue sky And there it was, the chalk path Just as she said it would be Rising like a pilgrim's way And there they were, the red roofs of the town below And the two sister hills, Wearyall and Chalice And beyond those the water cuts, glinting amid the fields In the distance were town spires, ridges, dreaming woods The ragged line of the Mendips And when he turned his head to the south and west And craned his eyes as far as he could see There was the sea-haze rising above untold low lands, inlets, bays and harbours The land of sunset And so he walked the chalk path Steeper under foot than it had seemed to the eye And he felt something catch in his pocket He slipped in his hand and drew out her letter (...) The sun beat on his neck and shoulders Still hot in its hour of setting And his shadow, immeasurably long, made the climb ahead of him Reaching the open gate of the tower, long before he did