 | The Collected Poems of T. E. Brown |  |
ΠΟΙΗΜΑΤΙΟΝ
For J. P.
It was in pleasant Derbyshire,
Upon a bright spring day,
From a valley to a valley
I sought to find a way;
And I met a little lad,
A lad both blithe and bold;
And his eyes were of the blue,
And his hair was of the gold.
“Ho! little lad, of yonder point
The name come quickly tell!”
Then, prompt as any echo,
Came the answer:—“Tap o' th' hill.”
“But has it any other name
That a man may say—as thus—
Kinderscout, or Fairbrook Naze?”
Then said the child, with constant gaze:—
“Tap o' th' hill it gets with us.”
Upon a bright spring day,
From a valley to a valley
I sought to find a way;
And I met a little lad,
A lad both blithe and bold;
688
And his hair was of the gold.
“Ho! little lad, of yonder point
The name come quickly tell!”
Then, prompt as any echo,
Came the answer:—“Tap o' th' hill.”
“But has it any other name
That a man may say—as thus—
Kinderscout, or Fairbrook Naze?”
Then said the child, with constant gaze:—
“Tap o' th' hill it gets with us.”
“Yes, yes!” I said, “but has it not
Some other name as well?
Its own, you know?” “Aye, aye!” he said,
“Tap o' th' hill! tap o' th' hill!”
“But your father, now? how calls it he?”
Then clear as is a bell
Rang out the merry laugh:—“Of course,
He calls it Tap o' th' hill!”
So I saw it was no use;
But I said within myself:—
“He has a wholesome doctrine,
This cheerful little elf.”
And O, the weary knowledge!
And O, the hearts that swell!
And O, the blessed limit—
“Tap o' th' hill! tap o' th' hill!”
Some other name as well?
Its own, you know?” “Aye, aye!” he said,
“Tap o' th' hill! tap o' th' hill!”
“But your father, now? how calls it he?”
Then clear as is a bell
Rang out the merry laugh:—“Of course,
He calls it Tap o' th' hill!”
So I saw it was no use;
But I said within myself:—
“He has a wholesome doctrine,
This cheerful little elf.”
And O, the weary knowledge!
And O, the hearts that swell!
And O, the blessed limit—
“Tap o' th' hill! tap o' th' hill!”
| The Collected Poems of T. E. Brown | |