 | Mansoul or The Riddle of the World |  |
Nor seld is, léaving Her august estate;
The Muse repairs, in days of shearing feast;
To some blithe herding cote; whence heard is sound
Of mérry-make, and shepherds tuneful pipe.
Or else where blows proud goat-herd, wíth crisp lip;
On shrill row of bright reeds, his warbeling note:
And hinds and lasses, there together met;
All glad and fain, dance madrigals wíth deft foot.
The Muse repairs, in days of shearing feast;
To some blithe herding cote; whence heard is sound
Of mérry-make, and shepherds tuneful pipe.
Or else where blows proud goat-herd, wíth crisp lip;
On shrill row of bright reeds, his warbeling note:
And hinds and lasses, there together met;
All glad and fain, dance madrigals wíth deft foot.
Or, Winter nights, come days of snow and frost;
Where folk, to some nigh cattle-stead, resort:
To tidings tellen, óf their Country-side;
At bountiful warm hearth; where cheer is both
Among the guests, of flickering embers round;
And dread of dancing shadows on the wall:
Where folk, to some nigh cattle-stead, resort:
To tidings tellen, óf their Country-side;
At bountiful warm hearth; where cheer is both
Among the guests, of flickering embers round;
And dread of dancing shadows on the wall:
Or when some handfast maiden shall be wed,
To her true love; she Pride of all the stead.
And gathered joyous to a lordlings hall;
Where newly sanded neat is all the floor;
Strewed with sweet sedge and smelling juniper;
Be come in neighbours, from the hamlets round;
That juncates bring and gifts of clottered cream,
And honey of thyme: and lads and shamefast maids,
Bring holiday looks.
To her true love; she Pride of all the stead.
And gathered joyous to a lordlings hall;
Where newly sanded neat is all the floor;
Strewed with sweet sedge and smelling juniper;
Be come in neighbours, from the hamlets round;
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And honey of thyme: and lads and shamefast maids,
Bring holiday looks.
And now the Bride is crowned;
And their two happy hands, the priest hath joined:
Those holy words, they breathing after him,
Which maketh them One; vows registered now in Heaven.
Begin shrill merry bagpipes then to sound;
And there is chanting óf the rustic rhyme;
With plause of clapping palms: and lightfoot lads
And maids, joined hands, dance in and out of doors.
And their two happy hands, the priest hath joined:
Those holy words, they breathing after him,
Which maketh them One; vows registered now in Heaven.
Begin shrill merry bagpipes then to sound;
And there is chanting óf the rustic rhyme;
With plause of clapping palms: and lightfoot lads
And maids, joined hands, dance in and out of doors.
'Tis said, mongst beldams, that sit lookers-on,
Demure; amidst their maidens, fresh and fair,
As rose in May, with locks as the broom-flower;
All simple as primroses: the Heavenly Maid,
Is very uneath, when would not she be kenned;
(Save for Her pupils' beams, wherein light shines,
Passing my simple verse;) to be discerned.
Demure; amidst their maidens, fresh and fair,
As rose in May, with locks as the broom-flower;
All simple as primroses: the Heavenly Maid,
Is very uneath, when would not she be kenned;
(Save for Her pupils' beams, wherein light shines,
Passing my simple verse;) to be discerned.
| Mansoul or The Riddle of the World | |