 | English Roses |  |
WHITE HORSES.
Where are the proud White Horses
That pasture on the seas,
And run their headlong courses
At liberty and ease?
They wander free and idle
About their rolling lands,
And scorn the bit and bridle
Which carry my commands.
I hear them in the distance,
With flashing manes and wild;
They reck not of resistance,
Each tameless ocean child.
At times they play or paddle
Where sand and water meet,
And dread no touch of saddle
With light and frolic feet.
I mark their shining shoulders
Reared from the surges' rout,
Whene'er my watchfire smoulders
And evening stars step out.
They heed not man or master,
They revel in the foam
And send it flying faster,
As forth they fearless roam.
That pasture on the seas,
And run their headlong courses
At liberty and ease?
They wander free and idle
About their rolling lands,
And scorn the bit and bridle
Which carry my commands.
I hear them in the distance,
With flashing manes and wild;
They reck not of resistance,
Each tameless ocean child.
At times they play or paddle
Where sand and water meet,
And dread no touch of saddle
With light and frolic feet.
I mark their shining shoulders
Reared from the surges' rout,
Whene'er my watchfire smoulders
And evening stars step out.
They heed not man or master,
They revel in the foam
And send it flying faster,
As forth they fearless roam.
506
He found the fair White Horses,
When they were stabled deep
Down in the crystal sources,
And helpless in their sleep.
He deemed that craft had won them,
And vaulted on their back;
He laid his spur upon them,
To go his trivial track.
But deftly though he mounted
And dared abroad to ride,
He had not fully counted
As yet their dauntless pride.
They bore him though a stranger,
In safety for a while;
They took from him the danger,
The sooner to beguile.
Then at their tempest gallop
He learned a wiser lore,
And broke his brittle shallop
Against the iron shore.
And widely on the waters
They romped in sunny rays,
Or grazed in quiet quarters
On flowers of frothing ways.
When they were stabled deep
Down in the crystal sources,
And helpless in their sleep.
He deemed that craft had won them,
And vaulted on their back;
He laid his spur upon them,
To go his trivial track.
But deftly though he mounted
And dared abroad to ride,
He had not fully counted
As yet their dauntless pride.
They bore him though a stranger,
In safety for a while;
They took from him the danger,
The sooner to beguile.
Then at their tempest gallop
He learned a wiser lore,
And broke his brittle shallop
Against the iron shore.
And widely on the waters
They romped in sunny rays,
Or grazed in quiet quarters
On flowers of frothing ways.
Where are the wild White Horses
That mock at guiding reins,
Nor heed our kindred forces,
The empire in their veins?
Why do they spurn the fetter,
Which only speeds their flight,
To pay God service better
And give a vaster might?
I know their glances wary,
Their beauty bright and coy;
The passion shy, and chary
Of changes which are joy.
I do not come to harry
High necks with harder fate,
I seek to woo and marry
An equal honoured mate.
How shall they live without me,
Their destined love and lord,
With thunder girt about me
And lightning as a sword?
I was ordained for ever
With them to gather toll,
And work by one endeavour
To one determined goal.
That mock at guiding reins,
Nor heed our kindred forces,
The empire in their veins?
Why do they spurn the fetter,
Which only speeds their flight,
To pay God service better
And give a vaster might?
I know their glances wary,
Their beauty bright and coy;
The passion shy, and chary
Of changes which are joy.
I do not come to harry
High necks with harder fate,
I seek to woo and marry
507
How shall they live without me,
Their destined love and lord,
With thunder girt about me
And lightning as a sword?
I was ordained for ever
With them to gather toll,
And work by one endeavour
To one determined goal.
So man went forth in shadows,
And man went forth in shine;
He sought the great green meadows,
The tumbling waves like wine.
He saw the gay crests tossing
Pure as a morning star,
He heard the fleet hoofs crossing
The ocean highways far.
He emptied every coffer,
He brought them gifts of price,
And did not grudge to offer
Himself as sacrifice.
But then the proud ears listened
Unto his humbler pleas,
And then the wild eyes glistened
Soft as their summer seas.
They bowed for him the billow,
They bended low their sides,
And smoothed a royal pillow
Above the smiling tides.
They took from him the measure
Which harnessed the salt surge,
And bare him at his pleasure
Before the breeze as scourge.
And man went forth in shine;
He sought the great green meadows,
The tumbling waves like wine.
He saw the gay crests tossing
Pure as a morning star,
He heard the fleet hoofs crossing
The ocean highways far.
He emptied every coffer,
He brought them gifts of price,
And did not grudge to offer
Himself as sacrifice.
But then the proud ears listened
Unto his humbler pleas,
And then the wild eyes glistened
Soft as their summer seas.
They bowed for him the billow,
They bended low their sides,
And smoothed a royal pillow
Above the smiling tides.
They took from him the measure
Which harnessed the salt surge,
And bare him at his pleasure
Before the breeze as scourge.
Where are the strong White Horses,
That carry now my spoil?
They crave no more divorces,
From common tasks and toil.
I hear their fast feet thunder,
Melodious on the lee;
They plough the deeps asunder,
In service fair and free.
I tread their stirrups, soaring
Above each path of pain,
By pulse of patient oaring
The monarch of the main.
They paw the ground with gladness
Whene'er they note my calls,
They put off their own madness
And pasture in my stalls.
I love to see them champing
The bit they never fear,
The tumult of their stamping
Is music to my ear.
They stoop to lift my burdens
Or some fresh braver band,
And as their only guerdons
They gently lick my hand.
That carry now my spoil?
They crave no more divorces,
From common tasks and toil.
I hear their fast feet thunder,
508
They plough the deeps asunder,
In service fair and free.
I tread their stirrups, soaring
Above each path of pain,
By pulse of patient oaring
The monarch of the main.
They paw the ground with gladness
Whene'er they note my calls,
They put off their own madness
And pasture in my stalls.
I love to see them champing
The bit they never fear,
The tumult of their stamping
Is music to my ear.
They stoop to lift my burdens
Or some fresh braver band,
And as their only guerdons
They gently lick my hand.
With moods no longer fretful
And merry ways and mild,
They turn no thoughts regretful
To former wanderings wild.
They chafe not at the chaining
Which perfects their grand part,
And thrills their whole stern straining
The same imperial heart.
The joy of world-wide labours
Possesses them with pride,
To make all kingdoms neighbours
With me they glorious ride.
Together do we furrow
A passage over earth,
And through grim sea walls burrow
To better home and hearth.
In safety thus I travel,
Borne by the wingèd feet
Which every realm unravel,
As down my native street.
No voyage now is idle,
No venture can be lost;
Until I slacken bridle,
And the last sea is crost.
And merry ways and mild,
They turn no thoughts regretful
To former wanderings wild.
They chafe not at the chaining
Which perfects their grand part,
And thrills their whole stern straining
The same imperial heart.
The joy of world-wide labours
Possesses them with pride,
To make all kingdoms neighbours
With me they glorious ride.
Together do we furrow
A passage over earth,
And through grim sea walls burrow
To better home and hearth.
In safety thus I travel,
Borne by the wingèd feet
Which every realm unravel,
As down my native street.
509
No venture can be lost;
Until I slacken bridle,
And the last sea is crost.
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