The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
130
BALCOMBE
Quiet woods bend o'er me,
Tender ferns and sweet
Cluster low before me,
Kiss my feet.
Tender ferns and sweet
Cluster low before me,
Kiss my feet.
Autumn berries glisten
In the hedges dry:
Brown birds as I listen
Rustle by.
In the hedges dry:
Brown birds as I listen
Rustle by.
Brown eyes shine beside me;
Twenty years ago
Love vouchsafed to guide me
By their glow.
Twenty years ago
Love vouchsafed to guide me
By their glow.
131
Cousin! how we wandered
Through these autumn ways,
Smiled and laughed and pondered
In old days:
Through these autumn ways,
Smiled and laughed and pondered
In old days:
Threaded all these alleys,
Gathered berries red
In the green still valleys
Where we tread.
Gathered berries red
In the green still valleys
Where we tread.
How swift recollection
Brings again the past,—
Friendship to affection
Changing fast;
Brings again the past,—
Friendship to affection
Changing fast;
Twenty years, or nearly,
Fold their wings between:
Yet for me how clearly
Shines each scene!
Fold their wings between:
Yet for me how clearly
Shines each scene!
Blackberry-copse and meadow,
Heather-purple dell,
Pine-trees' fragrant shadow,
Azure bell,—
Heather-purple dell,
Pine-trees' fragrant shadow,
Azure bell,—
132
Sandy rocky hollow,
Trout-stream brown and deep,
Wood-side where Apollo,
Glad, might sleep,—
Trout-stream brown and deep,
Wood-side where Apollo,
Glad, might sleep,—
Boyish thoughts and simple
And your laughing eyes
And your laughing dimple
And grey skies
And your laughing eyes
And your laughing dimple
And grey skies
All return as plainly
To my gaze to-day,
As if thought ungainly
Time could slay!
To my gaze to-day,
As if thought ungainly
Time could slay!
All return as clearly
As if twenty years
Were one winter merely,—
One night's tears!
As if twenty years
Were one winter merely,—
One night's tears!
Balcombe ferns and heather
And your brown same eyes
And the autumn weather
And calm skies
And your brown same eyes
And the autumn weather
And calm skies
133
Bring it all before me
As if but one night
Threw her mantle o'er me
Soft and light;
As if but one night
Threw her mantle o'er me
Soft and light;
Or as if between us
But one summer lay:—
Twenty Junes have seen us
Growing grey.
But one summer lay:—
Twenty Junes have seen us
Growing grey.
Aug. 29, 1881.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |