 | Poems of Rural Life in Common English |  |
41
BY THE MILL IN SPRING
With wind to blow, and streams to flow,
To flow along the gravel stone,
The waves were bright, the cliffs were white,
Were white before the evening sun,
Where shaken sedge would softly sigh,
As we, with windblown locks, went by.
To flow along the gravel stone,
The waves were bright, the cliffs were white,
Were white before the evening sun,
Where shaken sedge would softly sigh,
As we, with windblown locks, went by.
As lambs would swing their tails, and spring;
And spring about the ground chalk white;
The smoke was blue, above the yew;
The yew beside your house in sight;
And wind would sing with sullen sound,
Against the tree beside the mound;
And spring about the ground chalk white;
The smoke was blue, above the yew;
The yew beside your house in sight;
And wind would sing with sullen sound,
Against the tree beside the mound;
42
Where down at mill, the wheel was still,
Was still, and dripp'd with glitt'ring tears,
With dusty poll, up lane would stroll,
The miller's man with mill-stunn'd ears;
While weakly-wailing wind would swim,
By ground with ivied elm-trees dim.
Was still, and dripp'd with glitt'ring tears,
With dusty poll, up lane would stroll,
The miller's man with mill-stunn'd ears;
While weakly-wailing wind would swim,
By ground with ivied elm-trees dim.
My work and way may fail or fay,
Or fay as days may freeze or glow,
I'll try to bear my toil or care,
Or care, with either friend or foe,
If, after all, the evening tide
May bring me peace, where I abide.
Or fay as days may freeze or glow,
I'll try to bear my toil or care,
Or care, with either friend or foe,
If, after all, the evening tide
May bring me peace, where I abide.
| Poems of Rural Life in Common English | |