The Stundist in Siberian Exile AND OTHER POEMS, William Fetler, 1922

h Ivan is led. His crying wife, three children small— The baby at the breast— Are sped along the thorny paths Far from their native nest. Into a future, bleak, unknown, Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp; But as they go they sing, “ Thy Word Is to our feet a lamp ! ” They sing and weep, they weep and sing. While precious seed they bear; One wonders : “ Will they come again. And will the sheaves be there ? ” 10 THE STUNDIST IN SIBERIAN EXILE IV In which Ivan Nikitich, with a gang of five hundred criminals, starts for Siberia. The company, five hundred strong, In Kief’s holy town Were mustered in the prison court. In prison boots and gown. With clanking chains upon their feet. With faces pale and lean. Dark past, but future darker still. And consciences unclean. With one exception in their midst— The Stundist and his wife, As lone white sheep amidst the black, As in death’s shadow—Life ! They do not look like criminals. In spite of blackest paints. And even murderers exclaim : “ Why fellows—they are saints ! . . . What have you done ? Whom have you killed ? Let us your docket see ! Heigh, comrades ! note a miracle. Or greater yet to be ! ” The thief still speaks—a shout is heard, The captain calls aloud, The convoy’s swords are quickly drawn Around the exile crowd. THE STUNDIST IN SIBERIAN EXILE n The prison gates are swung ajar, " March on ! ” the captain cries; The street is full of relatives, With sad, tear-blinded eyes. The chains do clank, the heavy beat— In dull united sound— Of scores of pairs of captive feet Strikes hard the concrete ground. But, as the column starts to go, Ivan Nikitich kneels, His face he raises to the skies, He to liis Lord appeals. His wife and children by his side Join in liis silent prayer, While thieves and rogues and murderers In consternation stare. Then up they start—on, on they go, Clank, clank I Left, right I Left, right! And Kief's holy city soon Sinks backward, out of sight. 12 THE STUNDIST IN SIBERIAN EXILE V Where the Siundist exile begins to testify of the Lord to his fellow-prisoners: “ The things which hap¬ pened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel .”— Phil. i. 12. The sergeant shouts, the captives swear. The little children cry ; One man alone goes undisturbed. Without a tear or sigh ; For kindly in his face doth shine The Bright and Morning Star, Ivan is calm and happier And richer than the Tsar. Three in a row the exiles go, And, as in yonder scene, A thief on the right, a thief on the left. The Stundist walks between. They soon engage with him in talk— Whence ? ... Whither?... For what sin ?.. And full of love to them, Ivan Tells of his Hope within. And soon the word goes round the gang About the holy man— And all desire to talk to him, And talk whene’er they can. THE STUNDIST IN SIBERIAN EXILE 13 At