 | Ballads & Songs |  |
103
SONG OF A TRAIN
A monster taught
To come to hand
Amain,
As swift as thought
Across the land
The train.
To come to hand
Amain,
As swift as thought
Across the land
The train.
The song it sings
Has an iron sound;
Its iron wings
Like wheels go round.
Has an iron sound;
Its iron wings
Like wheels go round.
Crash under bridges,
Flash over ridges,
And vault the downs;
The road is straight—
Nor stile, nor gate;
For milestones—towns!
Flash over ridges,
104
The road is straight—
Nor stile, nor gate;
For milestones—towns!
Voluminous, vanishing, white,
The steam plume trails;
Parallel streaks of light,
The polished rails.
The steam plume trails;
Parallel streaks of light,
The polished rails.
Oh, who can follow?
The little swallow,
The trout of the sky:
But the sun
Is outrun,
And Time passed by.
The little swallow,
The trout of the sky:
But the sun
Is outrun,
And Time passed by.
O'er bosky dens,
By marsh and mead,
Forest and fens
Embodied speed
Is clanked and hurled;
O'er rivers and runnels;
And into the earth
And out again
In death and birth
That know no pain,
For the whole round world
Is a warren of railway tunnels.
By marsh and mead,
105
Embodied speed
Is clanked and hurled;
O'er rivers and runnels;
And into the earth
And out again
In death and birth
That know no pain,
For the whole round world
Is a warren of railway tunnels.
Hark! hark! hark!
It screams and cleaves the dark;
And the subterranean night
Is gilt with smoky light.
Then out again apace
It runs its thundering race,
The monster taught
To come to hand
Amain,
That swift as thought
Speeds through the land,
The train.
It screams and cleaves the dark;
And the subterranean night
Is gilt with smoky light.
Then out again apace
It runs its thundering race,
The monster taught
106
Amain,
That swift as thought
Speeds through the land,
The train.
107
IN ROMNEY MARSH
As I went down to Dymchurch Wall,
I heard the South sing o'er the land;
I saw the yellow sunlight fall
On knolls where Norman churches stand.
I heard the South sing o'er the land;
I saw the yellow sunlight fall
On knolls where Norman churches stand.
And ringing shrilly, taut and lithe,
Within the wind a core of sound,
The wire from Romney town to Hythe
Alone its airy journey wound.
Within the wind a core of sound,
The wire from Romney town to Hythe
Alone its airy journey wound.
A veil of purple vapour flowed
And trailed its fringe along the Straits;
The upper air like sapphire glowed;
And roses filled Heaven's central gates.
And trailed its fringe along the Straits;
The upper air like sapphire glowed;
And roses filled Heaven's central gates.
108
Masts in the offing wagged their tops;
The swinging waves pealed on the shore;
The saffron beach, all diamond drops
And beads of surge, prolonged the roar.
The swinging waves pealed on the shore;
The saffron beach, all diamond drops
And beads of surge, prolonged the roar.
As I came up from Dymchurch Wall,
I saw above the Downs' low crest
The crimson brands of sunset fall,
Flicker and fade from out the west.
I saw above the Downs' low crest
The crimson brands of sunset fall,
Flicker and fade from out the west.
Night sank: like flakes of silver fire
The stars in one great shower came down;
Shrill blew the wind; and shrill the wire
Rang out from Hythe to Romney town.
The stars in one great shower came down;
Shrill blew the wind; and shrill the wire
Rang out from Hythe to Romney town.
The darkly shining salt sea drops
Streamed as the waves clashed on the shore;
The beach, with all its organ stops
Pealing again, prolonged the roar.
Streamed as the waves clashed on the shore;
The beach, with all its organ stops
Pealing again, prolonged the roar.
109
A CINQUE PORT
Below the down the stranded town,
What may betide forlornly waits,
With memories of smoky skies,
When Gallic navies crossed the straits;
When waves with fire and blood grew bright,
And cannon thundered through the night.
What may betide forlornly waits,
With memories of smoky skies,
When Gallic navies crossed the straits;
When waves with fire and blood grew bright,
And cannon thundered through the night.
With swinging stride the rhythmic tide
Bore to the harbour barque and sloop;
Across the bar the ship of war,
In castled stern and lanterned poop,
Came up with conquests on her lee,
The stately mistress of the sea.
Bore to the harbour barque and sloop;
Across the bar the ship of war,
In castled stern and lanterned poop,
Came up with conquests on her lee,
The stately mistress of the sea.
110
Where argosies have wooed the breeze,
The simple sheep are feeding now;
And near and far across the bar
The ploughman whistles at the plough;
Where once the long waves washed the shore,
Larks from their lowly lodgings soar.
The simple sheep are feeding now;
And near and far across the bar
The ploughman whistles at the plough;
Where once the long waves washed the shore,
Larks from their lowly lodgings soar.
Below the down the stranded town
Hears far away the rollers beat;
About the wall the seabirds call;
The salt wind murmurs through the street;
Forlorn the sea's forsaken bride,
Awaits the end that shall betide.
Hears far away the rollers beat;
About the wall the seabirds call;
The salt wind murmurs through the street;
Forlorn the sea's forsaken bride,
Awaits the end that shall betide.
111
SPRING
I
Over hill and dale and fen
Winds adust and roving strum
Broken music now and then
Out of hedges, lately dumb,
Snow enshrouded; for again,
Here and now the Spring is come.
Winds adust and roving strum
Broken music now and then
Out of hedges, lately dumb,
Snow enshrouded; for again,
Here and now the Spring is come.
Hungry cold no more shall irk
Beast or bird on hill or lea;
Rivers in the meadows lurk,
Whispering on the flowers to be;
Rustics sing about their work;
Spring is come across the sea.
Beast or bird on hill or lea;
Rivers in the meadows lurk,
Whispering on the flowers to be;
112
Spring is come across the sea.
Pink and emerald buds adorn
Squares and gardens up and down;
Madge, quite early in the morn,
Gads about in her new gown;
Daisies in the streets are born;
Spring is come into the town.
Squares and gardens up and down;
Madge, quite early in the morn,
Gads about in her new gown;
Daisies in the streets are born;
Spring is come into the town.
II
Certain, it is not wholly wrong
To hope that yet the skies may ring
With the due praises that belong
To April over all the Spring:
If one could only make a song
The birds would wish to sing.
To hope that yet the skies may ring
With the due praises that belong
To April over all the Spring:
If one could only make a song
The birds would wish to sing.
113
The beggar starts his pilgrimage;
And kings their tassel-gentles fly;
The labourer earns a long day's wage;
The knight, a star of errantry,
With some lost princess for a page
Strays about Arcady.
And kings their tassel-gentles fly;
The labourer earns a long day's wage;
The knight, a star of errantry,
With some lost princess for a page
Strays about Arcady.
Now fetching water in the dusk
The maidens linger by the wells;
The ploughmen cast their homespun husk,
And, while old Tuck his chaplet tells,
Themselves in spangled fustian busk,
And garters girt with bells.
The maidens linger by the wells;
The ploughmen cast their homespun husk,
And, while old Tuck his chaplet tells,
Themselves in spangled fustian busk,
And garters girt with bells.
Maid Marian's kirtle, somewhat old,
A welt of red must now enhance;
Oho! ho ho! in silk and gold
The gallant hobby horse shall prance;
Sing hey, for Robin Hood the bold;
Heigh ho, the morris-dance!
A welt of red must now enhance;
Oho! ho ho! in silk and gold
The gallant hobby horse shall prance;
114
Heigh ho, the morris-dance!
Oh foolish fancy, feebly strong!
To England shall we ever bring
The old mirth back? Yes, yes; nor long
It shall be till that greater Spring;
And some one yet may make a song
The birds would like to sing.
To England shall we ever bring
The old mirth back? Yes, yes; nor long
It shall be till that greater Spring;
And some one yet may make a song
The birds would like to sing.
III
Foxes peeped from out their dens;
Day grew pale and olden;
Blackbirds, willow-warblers, wrens
Staunched their voices golden.
Day grew pale and olden;
Blackbirds, willow-warblers, wrens
Staunched their voices golden.
High, oh high, from the opal sky,
Shouting against the dark,
‘Why, why, why must the day go by?’
Fell a passionate lark.
Shouting against the dark,
‘Why, why, why must the day go by?’
Fell a passionate lark.
115
But the cuckoos beat their brazen gongs,
Sounding, sounding, so;
And the nightingales poured in starry songs
A galaxy below.
Sounding, sounding, so;
And the nightingales poured in starry songs
A galaxy below.
Slowly tolling, the vesper bell
Ushered the shadowy night:
Down-a-down in a hawthorn dell
A boy and a girl and love's delight.
Ushered the shadowy night:
Down-a-down in a hawthorn dell
A boy and a girl and love's delight.
IV
By lichened tree and mossy plinth
Like living flames of purple fire,
Flooding the wood, the hyacinth
Uprears its heavy-scented spire.
Like living flames of purple fire,
Flooding the wood, the hyacinth
Uprears its heavy-scented spire.
The redstart shakes its crimson plume,
Singing alone till evening's fall
Beside the pied and homely bloom
Of wallflower on the crumbling wall.
Singing alone till evening's fall
116
Of wallflower on the crumbling wall.
Now dandelions light the way,
Expecting summer's near approach;
And, bearing lanterns night and day,
The great marsh-marigolds keep watch.
Expecting summer's near approach;
And, bearing lanterns night and day,
The great marsh-marigolds keep watch.
117
SUMMER
I
The poets' May is dead and done
That warm and soft came shoulder-high
On Leda's twins; for now the sun
Scarce breaks the cold and cloudy sky.
That warm and soft came shoulder-high
On Leda's twins; for now the sun
Scarce breaks the cold and cloudy sky.
But still by fields of grass and corn
With mantling green like blushes spread,
The milk-maid in the early morn
Trips with her milkpail on her head.
With mantling green like blushes spread,
The milk-maid in the early morn
Trips with her milkpail on her head.
And still through mists that droop and float,
Beside the river lingering white,
Dew on his wings and in his note,
The lark goes singing out of sight.
Beside the river lingering white,
118
The lark goes singing out of sight.
And still the hawthorn blossoms blow;
The belted bee on nectar sups;
And still the dazzling daisies grow
Beside the golden buttercups.
The belted bee on nectar sups;
And still the dazzling daisies grow
Beside the golden buttercups.
II
Glow-worm-like the daisies peer;
Roses in the thickets fade
Grudging every petal dear;
Swinging incense in the shade
The honeysuckle's chandelier
Twinkles down a shadowy glade.
Roses in the thickets fade
Grudging every petal dear;
Swinging incense in the shade
The honeysuckle's chandelier
Twinkles down a shadowy glade.
Now is Nature's restful mood:
Death-still stands the sombre fir;
Hardly where the rushes brood
Something crawling makes a stir;
Hardly in the underwood
Russet pinions softly whirr.
Death-still stands the sombre fir;
119
Something crawling makes a stir;
Hardly in the underwood
Russet pinions softly whirr.
III
Above the shimmering square
Swallows climb the air;
Like crystal trees the fountain's shower,
A-bloom with many a rainbow flower.
Swallows climb the air;
Like crystal trees the fountain's shower,
A-bloom with many a rainbow flower.
Where the lake is deep
Water-lilies sleep,
Dreaming dreams with open eyes
Enchanted by the dragon-flies—
Water-lilies sleep,
Dreaming dreams with open eyes
Enchanted by the dragon-flies—
Azure dragon-flies,
Slivered from the skies,
Chased and burnished, joints and rings,
Elfin magic wands on wings.
Slivered from the skies,
120
Elfin magic wands on wings.
Like an army dressed
In diamond mail and crest,
The silent light o'er park and town
In burning phalanxes comes down;
In diamond mail and crest,
The silent light o'er park and town
In burning phalanxes comes down;
And lustrous ambuscades
In glittering streets and glades,
Where daisies crowd or people throng,
Keep watch and ward the whole day long.
In glittering streets and glades,
Where daisies crowd or people throng,
Keep watch and ward the whole day long.
121
AUTUMN
I
All the waysides now are flowerless;
Soon the swallows shall be gone,
And the Hamadryads bowerless,
And the waving harvest done;
But about the river sources
And the meres,
And the winding watercourses,
Summer smiles through parting tears.
Soon the swallows shall be gone,
And the Hamadryads bowerless,
And the waving harvest done;
But about the river sources
And the meres,
And the winding watercourses,
Summer smiles through parting tears.
Wanderers weary, oh, come hither
Where the green-leaved willows bend,
Where the grasses never wither,
Or the purling noises end;
O'er the serried sedge, late blowing,
Surge and float
Golden flags, their shadows showing
Deep as in a castle-moat.
Where the green-leaved willows bend,
122
Or the purling noises end;
O'er the serried sedge, late blowing,
Surge and float
Golden flags, their shadows showing
Deep as in a castle-moat.
Like a ruby of the mosses
Here the marish pimpernel,
Glowing crimson, still embosses
Velvet verdure with its bell;
And the scallop-leaved and splendid
Silver-weed,
By the maiden breezes tended,
Wears her flowers of golden brede.
Here the marish pimpernel,
Glowing crimson, still embosses
Velvet verdure with its bell;
And the scallop-leaved and splendid
Silver-weed,
By the maiden breezes tended,
Wears her flowers of golden brede.
Water-plantain, rosy vagrant,
Flings his garland on the wave;
Mint in midstream rises fragrant,
Dressed in green and lilac brave;
And that spies may never harass
In their baths
The shining naiads, purple arras
Of the loosestrife veils the paths.
Flings his garland on the wave;
123
Dressed in green and lilac brave;
And that spies may never harass
In their baths
The shining naiads, purple arras
Of the loosestrife veils the paths.
II
Aftermaths of pleasant green
Bind the earth in emerald bands;
Pouring golden in between,
Tides of harvest flood the lands.
Showers of sunlight splash and dapple
The orchard park;
And there the plum hangs and the apple,
Like smouldering gems and lanterns dark.
Bind the earth in emerald bands;
Pouring golden in between,
Tides of harvest flood the lands.
Showers of sunlight splash and dapple
The orchard park;
And there the plum hangs and the apple,
Like smouldering gems and lanterns dark.
Let no shallow jester croak!
Fill the barn and brim the bowl!
Here is harvest, starving folk,
Here, with bread for every soul!
Rouse yourselves with happy ditties,
And hither roam,
Forsaking your enchanted cities
To keep the merry harvest-home.
Fill the barn and brim the bowl!
124
Here, with bread for every soul!
Rouse yourselves with happy ditties,
And hither roam,
Forsaking your enchanted cities
To keep the merry harvest-home.
Surely now there needs no sigh!
Bid the piper bring his pipe;
Sound aloud the harvest-cry—
Once again the earth is ripe!
Golden grain in sunlight sleeping,
When winds are laid,
Can dream no dismal dream of weeping
Where broken-hearted women fade.
Bid the piper bring his pipe;
Sound aloud the harvest-cry—
Once again the earth is ripe!
Golden grain in sunlight sleeping,
When winds are laid,
Can dream no dismal dream of weeping
Where broken-hearted women fade.
More than would for all suffice
From the earth's broad bosom pours;
Yet in cities wolfish eyes
Haunt the windows and the doors.
Mighty One in Heaven who carvest
The sparrows' meat,
Bid the hunger and the harvest
Come together we entreat!
From the earth's broad bosom pours;
125
Haunt the windows and the doors.
Mighty One in Heaven who carvest
The sparrows' meat,
Bid the hunger and the harvest
Come together we entreat!
Aftermaths of pleasant green
Bind the earth in emerald bands;
Pouring golden in between
Tides of harvest flood the lands.
Let the wain roll home with laughter,
The piper pipe,
And let the girls come dancing after,
For once again the earth is ripe.
Bind the earth in emerald bands;
Pouring golden in between
Tides of harvest flood the lands.
Let the wain roll home with laughter,
The piper pipe,
And let the girls come dancing after,
For once again the earth is ripe.
126
WINTER
Darkness turned on her pillow white;
A star serenely shone;
Deeply, deeply into the night
Cut the sword of dawn.
A star serenely shone;
Deeply, deeply into the night
Cut the sword of dawn.
Over the snow the pale east threw,
Abroach where daylight broke,
Crimson stains on the abbey panes
Above the hamlet smoke.
Abroach where daylight broke,
Crimson stains on the abbey panes
Above the hamlet smoke.
All night the sad world dreamed;
The sad world wakes all day,
And casts on the snow a ruddy glow
From its heart that bleeds for aye.
The sad world wakes all day,
And casts on the snow a ruddy glow
From its heart that bleeds for aye.
127
THE HAPPIEST WAY
What will my father say
To a poor man's son?
I will think of a way;
My father must be won.
To a poor man's son?
I will think of a way;
My father must be won.
Love, I know, is strong,
And breaks the barriers down,
Fighting with sword and song,
A champion of renown.
And breaks the barriers down,
Fighting with sword and song,
A champion of renown.
But oh, for the lover's art
That finds the happiest way!
Best to strike at his heart,
And tell him all to-day?
That finds the happiest way!
Best to strike at his heart,
And tell him all to-day?
128
Or after harvest-home
When the leaves begin to fall,
Hand in hand we'll come,
And he shall tell him all?
When the leaves begin to fall,
Hand in hand we'll come,
And he shall tell him all?
But now while sweet birds sing
We can roam in the woods all day,
And swing on the orchard swing:
That is the happiest way.
We can roam in the woods all day,
And swing on the orchard swing:
That is the happiest way.
129
FOR H. J. LE G.
What boat is this comes o'er the sea
From islands of eternity?
From islands of eternity?
A little boat, a cradle boat,
The signals at the most denote;
The signals at the most denote;
And in the boat a little life:
Happy husband, happy wife!
Happy husband, happy wife!
130
IN MEMORIAM M. LE G.
Our songs are sweeter far;The flowers about our feet
Sweet and more sweet;
And every star
Is starrier,
Because of her.
| Ballads & Songs | |