Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE TOLL-GATE MAN, by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD Poet's Biography First Line: They tore down the toll-gate Last Line: From the next far hill. Subject(s): Toll Roads | ||||||||
THEY tore down the toll-gate By the songless mill, But the gray gate-man Takes toll there still; And he takes from all Whether or not they will. Few people see him, With his moonlit hair, Taking with ghost palms The old, slim fare. But the whole night long He waits sadly there. In winter on the snow I can hear his shoes Crunching me welcome, Crunching me adieus: But wherever he goes He leaves no clews. Strange coin I pay him, Minted in my soul -- Tears I caught long ago In a silver bowl, Sighings for a lost love: These I pay for toll. Strangely does his hand come Out of the thin wind, And strangely is the night air About his shoulders pinned. So white his hair is you would think His soul had never sinned. The fool goes by him, In a blazing car, Sighing: "How lonely These crossroads are." But the old gate-man Will follow him far. Follow him until he pays As men paid of old; But not with cold silver And not with warm gold, But with that treasure Which is life to hold. On dark, wet nights In the slanting rain The gate-man bends With an old, old pain; But on warm, clear nights He grows straight again. They tore down the toll-gate By the songless mill, But the gray gate-man Takes toll there still; You can see his moonlit hair From the next far hill. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VERSES FROM ANTI-TURNPIKE RIOTS; PEMBROKESHIRE, 1843 by UNKNOWN VERSES TO THE TOLL-COLLECTOR, CARMARTHEN, WALES by UNKNOWN A GYPSY SONG by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD A SONG OF LONESOMENESS by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD A SONG OF THE UNRETURNING by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD A SONG OF TWO HOUSES by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD A SONG TO THE VALIANT by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD A STREET SONG by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD AN ADVENTURER'S SONG by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD AN EVENING SONG by WILSON PUGSLEY MACDONALD |
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