The Monk

[alonso ramoran]

A centuries old cross,
made by the sawdust mill;
did this weathered man, -
clutch in his wringing hand.

He walked with aching wreath over the hill, Don't understand how a wreath can ache.
finding laurels, -
by the hemming stump;

where in his fading gaze, 
a divided town— no hyphen needed.
lay asleep below; no semi-colon needed.
seducing sounds of his sorrow.

Some mistress had veiled, -
his hemlock eye, -
with boundless thoughts, -
of the ocean tide, Maybe a period or semi-colon would fit snug here.

And bade him not, a "to" would be necessary here. 
go any further than the pyre, 
for this would surely lure, -
death to near. Sounds awkward.

Worth grew nowt in this stygian gown, Worth grew nothing in this black dress? Even when using alternative vocab this line sounds awkward.
as heavy lids knew the insides, -
of his pining frown. My interpretation of these final two lines are that he (I'm guessing the monk) recognized the reasons for whatever he's frowning, and he's tired of those being the reasons? Just my subjective thought.Also, a poem like this ending on a reader's subjective thought makes for not a very strong ending. Especially when the majority of the poem seems like observations by the third person on the main character (These observations have colorful language, but it's for nothing if you're using phrases like "hemlock eye" or "aching wreath"). You also do a fine job of narrating the poem along, but most of what you were saying here went over my head. Lastly, I get ideas of what the poems about, but I'm not sure if my ideas are the right ideas because of how vague everything is written (I know for sure this poem has to be about an old man who has to be a monk- I also don't know what makes him a monk in this poem besides the gown.). Hope I was of any help

The lines I had put dashes next to are lines that do not need commas.