 | On two strings |  |
[FATHER WHO SENT ME OPEN SKIES]
FATHER WHO SENT ME OPEN SKIES,
AND HONEYSUCKLE FOR MY WAYS,
AND LOADED BEES WITH SUGARY THIGHS,
TAKE PRAISE.
AND HONEYSUCKLE FOR MY WAYS,
AND LOADED BEES WITH SUGARY THIGHS,
TAKE PRAISE.
FOR ROBINS KEEPING SPRING AT BREAST,
FOR STARLIT LANES AND GREENY BANKS,
FOR RUTTED ROADS AND GRASSY REST,
TAKE THANKS.
FOR STARLIT LANES AND GREENY BANKS,
FOR RUTTED ROADS AND GRASSY REST,
TAKE THANKS.
14
ALWAYS.
I had a Love once past compare:
Spirits who weave a maiden's hair
Wove none such colour, none so fair.
Spirits who weave a maiden's hair
Wove none such colour, none so fair.
As Love who finds and Love who sips
Did kiss her cheeks and finger-tips
Roses fell from his rosy lips.
Did kiss her cheeks and finger-tips
Roses fell from his rosy lips.
With joy she sought my aching side
To answer love so long had cried;
At morn a maid, at evening bride.
To answer love so long had cried;
At morn a maid, at evening bride.
19
Her neck was sweet as flowering pear,
So fair her eyes, her mouth so fair!
Soft was her heart. I rested there.
So fair her eyes, her mouth so fair!
Soft was her heart. I rested there.
I had a love once past my skill
To worship as becomes my will;
The Love I had, I have her still.
To worship as becomes my will;
The Love I had, I have her still.
25
LONGING.
The maid I sing
Is human Spring!
My joy and rest
Are in her breast.
Is human Spring!
My joy and rest
Are in her breast.
She comes and beams
On me in dreams;
But never gives
The kiss that lives.
On me in dreams;
But never gives
The kiss that lives.
Yet God He knows
My longing grows,
As grey hairs come,
For babe and home.
My longing grows,
As grey hairs come,
For babe and home.
28
AT THE INN.
Clara!
Clara, my Cotswold beauty, come!
Those great green backs were hard to mount,
And we are gladly home.
When gone from country cups of ale,
I vow to pledge this inn so snug,
Clara, my girl with cherry cheeks,
In many a far and foreign mug!
Clara, my Cotswold beauty, come!
Those great green backs were hard to mount,
And we are gladly home.
When gone from country cups of ale,
I vow to pledge this inn so snug,
Clara, my girl with cherry cheeks,
In many a far and foreign mug!
Clara!
Clara, my Cotswold beauty, come!
Renew the flagon for our thirst,
And let the home-brewed foam!
This second errand brings again
Your upright loveliness in view;
Here's pence for ale, and here as well
A thumping country kiss for you!
Clara, my Cotswold beauty, come!
Renew the flagon for our thirst,
And let the home-brewed foam!
29
Your upright loveliness in view;
Here's pence for ale, and here as well
A thumping country kiss for you!
33
SUNNY MARCH.
The hedge is full of houses
And the houses full of eggs,
For it's Spring!
So the yellowhammer tinkles
To the hawthorn green again,
On the wing.
And the houses full of eggs,
For it's Spring!
So the yellowhammer tinkles
To the hawthorn green again,
On the wing.
The sparrow, he the gymnast,
Swings more boldly on his spray
In the sun,
And the mavis floods the orchard
With an air too fine for June,
Trill and run.
Swings more boldly on his spray
In the sun,
And the mavis floods the orchard
With an air too fine for June,
Trill and run.
34
Now my milking-maid is waiting
By the haystack for a kiss,
In the dusk;
So I clasp my Love in lilac,
Dearly sweet with double scent,
Milk and musk!
By the haystack for a kiss,
In the dusk;
So I clasp my Love in lilac,
Dearly sweet with double scent,
Milk and musk!
38
A GIPSY FUNERAL.
It was a woodland Warwick lane
Where blackthorn housed the finch's stave;
There came a Gipsy group that bore
An infant to the grave.
Where blackthorn housed the finch's stave;
There came a Gipsy group that bore
An infant to the grave.
In front of all the father strode,
The little case beneath his arm;
Fast down his sun-tann'd cheeks there rolled
The teardrops salt and warm.
The little case beneath his arm;
Fast down his sun-tann'd cheeks there rolled
The teardrops salt and warm.
His neck a scarlet kerchief bound,
His chieftain's head was duly bare;
His heart was in the box of deal
With baby lips and hair.
His chieftain's head was duly bare;
His heart was in the box of deal
With baby lips and hair.
39
The mother went with tearless eyes,
One hand upon the coffin-lid;
The other clutched the breast that poured
Sweet help when baby bid.
One hand upon the coffin-lid;
The other clutched the breast that poured
Sweet help when baby bid.
A yellowhammer flew before
In golden jaunts, securely fleet;
None watched the living topaz fly
Along the leafy street.
In golden jaunts, securely fleet;
None watched the living topaz fly
Along the leafy street.
O that those times had come again
When man, possessing more of worth,
Had God for closer neighbour here,
And prophets on the earth!
When man, possessing more of worth,
Had God for closer neighbour here,
And prophets on the earth!
Alas, that none could stretch himself
Upon the perished Gipsy child!
No helper watch the father smile
As once the Widow smiled!
Upon the perished Gipsy child!
No helper watch the father smile
As once the Widow smiled!
40
Death pushes to the bed of kings,
And stands betwixt the couch and lamp;
He stays the Maid of Honour's heart,
He shakes the Gipsies' camp!
And stands betwixt the couch and lamp;
He stays the Maid of Honour's heart,
He shakes the Gipsies' camp!
41
LOST LOVE.
My life is hedged by bitter thorns,
And full of endless sorrows;
Time sends my soul but hopeless morns,
And still more hopeless morrows.
Ah! might there come that warmer part,
With all its dear repeating—
The lovely speech of Laura's heart
Upon my bosom beating!
And full of endless sorrows;
Time sends my soul but hopeless morns,
And still more hopeless morrows.
Ah! might there come that warmer part,
With all its dear repeating—
The lovely speech of Laura's heart
Upon my bosom beating!
But she is in a star at rest,
And treads some golden county,
Where roses sweeten in her breast,
And thrushes pipe their bounty.
For me no more that warmer part,
With all its dear repeating—
The lovely language of her heart
Upon my bosom beating!
And treads some golden county,
Where roses sweeten in her breast,
And thrushes pipe their bounty.
46
With all its dear repeating—
The lovely language of her heart
Upon my bosom beating!
47
BILL CARTER'S THANKS.
You never lost your pluck, Old Woman,
Never whimpered, never broke,
You splendid bit of female human
As ever faced an ugly stroke!
Never whimpered, never broke,
You splendid bit of female human
As ever faced an ugly stroke!
With heart for every kind of labour,
Sleeves at elbow, chin well out,
You've been a rainbow for your neighbour,
And saving sunshine, not a doubt.
Sleeves at elbow, chin well out,
You've been a rainbow for your neighbour,
And saving sunshine, not a doubt.
Old Girl, I love you! Crisp and plucky,
Full of just the greatest grit!
When first I found you I was lucky—
Here's hearty thanks to God for it!
Full of just the greatest grit!
When first I found you I was lucky—
Here's hearty thanks to God for it!
53
A PRAYER.
Let me live in quiet joy
Simple-hearted as a boy,
Asking alms of vale and fountain,
Begging beauty from the mountain;
Quick to answer smiles of God
Gold and gracious on the sod.
Simple-hearted as a boy,
Asking alms of vale and fountain,
Begging beauty from the mountain;
Quick to answer smiles of God
Gold and gracious on the sod.
Let me learn your larger speech,
Oak of heaven, breathing beech!
Ye whose lips of foliage shout
Mighty ballads round about
While the doves, deserting song,
In your bosoms listen long.
Oak of heaven, breathing beech!
Ye whose lips of foliage shout
Mighty ballads round about
While the doves, deserting song,
In your bosoms listen long.
54
Wash me, rain, and lave me, dew!
Ah, to grow as pure as you!
Bending bravely to my labour,
God for guide and love for neighbour—
Just a child of star and stream,
Filled with sunshine, touched by dream.
Ah, to grow as pure as you!
Bending bravely to my labour,
God for guide and love for neighbour—
Just a child of star and stream,
Filled with sunshine, touched by dream.
59
ONLY ROSES.
Only roses—only bring
Roses for that truest Spring
When I pass the final fret,
Skies and birds and loves forget.
Roses for that truest Spring
When I pass the final fret,
Skies and birds and loves forget.
Very weary are my feet
Walking up the deathward street:
Uncomplainingly I wend
Till I find the quiet Friend.
Walking up the deathward street:
Uncomplainingly I wend
Till I find the quiet Friend.
In that starlit mound shall rest
Weary head and wearier breast;
Brother of the mole and mouse
I shall sleep in Nature's house.
Weary head and wearier breast;
Brother of the mole and mouse
I shall sleep in Nature's house.
60
Only roses—if you must
Scatter blossoms on my dust—
Only dying roses strew
Wet with gentle tears, for dew.
Scatter blossoms on my dust—
Only dying roses strew
Wet with gentle tears, for dew.
67
BEES.
You voluble,
Velvety
Vehement fellows
That play on your
Flying and
Musical 'cellos,
All goldenly
Girdled you
Serenade clover,
Each artist in
Bass but a
Bibulous rover!
Velvety
Vehement fellows
That play on your
Flying and
Musical 'cellos,
All goldenly
Girdled you
Serenade clover,
Each artist in
Bass but a
Bibulous rover!
68
You passionate,
Powdery
Pastoral bandits,
Who gave you your
Roaming and
Rollicking mandates?
Come out of my
Foxglove; come
Out of my roses
You bees with the
Plushy and
Plausible noses!
Powdery
Pastoral bandits,
Who gave you your
Roaming and
Rollicking mandates?
Come out of my
Foxglove; come
Out of my roses
You bees with the
Plushy and
Plausible noses!
69
A SONG.
Love came to her for his resting,
And dreamed at her side all night,
Down by her sad heart nesting,
Warm in her bed so white.
Love came to her for his resting
And dreamed at her side all night.
And dreamed at her side all night,
Down by her sad heart nesting,
Warm in her bed so white.
Love came to her for his resting
And dreamed at her side all night.
Love woke again from his sleeping,
And found Love as she slept.
Eyes that were dark with weeping
He kissed, and kissing wept.
Love woke again from his sleeping,
And found Love as she slept.
And found Love as she slept.
Eyes that were dark with weeping
He kissed, and kissing wept.
Love woke again from his sleeping,
And found Love as she slept.
| On two strings | |