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The later poems of John Clare

1837-1864 ... General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger
Clare, John (1793-1864)

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Volume I
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Volume II
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KNIGHT TRANSCRIPTS VOLUME TWO
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THE LAST SIX POEMS
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POEMS FROM BAKER'S GLOSSARY
  
[Where the deer with their shadows passed swifter than thought]
  
[How beautiful May and its morning comes in!]
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778

OH ONCE I HAD A TRUE LOVE

O' once I had a true love And I loved her very well
Untill she got a new love For my wish I could not tell
When Absent I talked to her And when she might have heard
Thinking silence best could woo her I passed without a word
I hid me from her sight And I hid me from her thoughts too
I lost my relish for delight And vainly studdied ways to woo
I thought she saw my heart beat My waistcoat seemed to heave and stir
My eyes that others used to cheat Was ever fond and true to her
She saw me quake unheeding My eyes they watered dim
The flower ‘True love lies bleeding’ Could never talk for him
I thought she saw my legs shake She never spoke a word
I thought she saw my hands quake Though her hands they never stirred
We silent stood together And we passed without a word
In spring and winter weather was nothing seen or heard
I thought to send a letter But I never wrote a line
Another time seemed better To ask her to be mine
But ‘another time’ was absent No silence love could prove
No word was spoke no line was sent And so I lost my love
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