 | Orchard Songs |  |
109
A DEFENCE
(Written on being charged with undue frankness)
Dear country Muse, my heart's delight,
Whose purity displays
The rounded nude of loveliness
For shepherd-pipes to praise—
Whose purity displays
The rounded nude of loveliness
For shepherd-pipes to praise—
Dear Muse, that dancing on the green
Inspired my country tone,
Have I who saw your chastity
In seeing lost my own?
Inspired my country tone,
Have I who saw your chastity
In seeing lost my own?
Have I, for all your liberal love
And wildflower music, taught
A multitude your bosom's white
Uncovered, but unsought—
And wildflower music, taught
A multitude your bosom's white
Uncovered, but unsought—
And not this lesson from your snow,
This knowledge from your knee—
That more of virtue, less of robe,
Belongs to purity?
This knowledge from your knee—
That more of virtue, less of robe,
Belongs to purity?
110
With glimpses of a sunny neck,
And ripe untrespassed lips
That boasted even brighter red
Than any autumn hips,
And ripe untrespassed lips
That boasted even brighter red
Than any autumn hips,
Barefooted, in a rebel robe
That kissed your careless knee
And showed the splendour of your shape
With woodland modesty,
That kissed your careless knee
And showed the splendour of your shape
With woodland modesty,
You danced adown a forest-aisle
And taught me from the store
Of simple airs your lyric lips
Shall sing for evermore.
And taught me from the store
Of simple airs your lyric lips
Shall sing for evermore.
In what array your beauty came—
I sang it as I might;
So sings the pupil blackbird, so
The poet of the night;
I sang it as I might;
So sings the pupil blackbird, so
The poet of the night;
111
The thrush, a student of your dance,
Divinely serenades
Your revelation of the limbs
That twinkle in the glades.
Divinely serenades
Your revelation of the limbs
That twinkle in the glades.
Should I within your leafy school
The only scholar sit
To pipe discordantly, and be
Less trusted than the tit?
The only scholar sit
To pipe discordantly, and be
Less trusted than the tit?
Not so, sweet country Muse! The wood
Demands the scanty gown;
Why should their London velvets clog
Your dances on the down?
Demands the scanty gown;
Why should their London velvets clog
Your dances on the down?
I have not shamed you, O my love,
So friendly and so wild!
You shall not blush to teach again
Your lover and your child!
So friendly and so wild!
You shall not blush to teach again
Your lover and your child!
112
Who call me base must think me base;
But soon afresh for me
Your speeding footsteps in the grass
Shall prove my purity!
But soon afresh for me
Your speeding footsteps in the grass
Shall prove my purity!
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