 | Poems of Rural Life in Common English |  |
1
AUTUMN
The long-lighted days begin to shrink,
And flowers are thin in mead among
The late-shooting grass, that shines along
Brook upon brook, and brink by brink.
And flowers are thin in mead among
The late-shooting grass, that shines along
Brook upon brook, and brink by brink.
The wheat, that was lately rustling thick.
Is now up in mows that still are new;
All yellow before the sky of blue,
Tip after tip, and rick by rick.
Is now up in mows that still are new;
All yellow before the sky of blue,
Tip after tip, and rick by rick.
No starlings arise in flock on wing;
The cuckoo has still'd his woodland sound;
The swallow no longer wheels around,
Dip after dip, and swing by swing.
The cuckoo has still'd his woodland sound;
The swallow no longer wheels around,
Dip after dip, and swing by swing.
2
While shooters are roving round the knoll,
By wind-driven leaves on quiv'ring grass,
Or down where the sky-blue waters pass,
Fall after fall, and shoal by shoal;
By wind-driven leaves on quiv'ring grass,
Or down where the sky-blue waters pass,
Fall after fall, and shoal by shoal;
Their brown-dappled pointers nimbly trot
By russet-bough'd trees, while gun-smoke grey
Dissolves in the air of sunny day,
Reef upon reef, at shot by shot.
By russet-bough'd trees, while gun-smoke grey
Dissolves in the air of sunny day,
Reef upon reef, at shot by shot.
While now I can walk a dusty mile,
I'll take me a day while days are clear,
To find a few friends that still are dear,
Face upon face, and smile by smile.
I'll take me a day while days are clear,
To find a few friends that still are dear,
Face upon face, and smile by smile.
| Poems of Rural Life in Common English | |