 | Poems of Rural Life in Common English |  |
71
THE BENCH BY THE GARDEN WALL
As day might cool, and in the pool,
The shaded waves might ripple dim,
We used to walk, or sit in talk,
Below the limetree's leaning limb,
Where willows' drooping boughs might fall
Around us, near the garden wall.
The shaded waves might ripple dim,
We used to walk, or sit in talk,
Below the limetree's leaning limb,
Where willows' drooping boughs might fall
Around us, near the garden wall.
Where children's heads on evening beds,
In dull-ear'd sleep were settled sound,
The moon's bright ring would slowly spring,
From down behind the woody mound,
With light that slanted down on all
The willows nigh the garden wall.
In dull-ear'd sleep were settled sound,
The moon's bright ring would slowly spring,
From down behind the woody mound,
With light that slanted down on all
The willows nigh the garden wall.
72
By roof-eaves spread up over head,
There clung the wren's brown nest of hay,
And wind would make the ivy shake,
And your dark locks of hair to play,
As you would tell the news of all
The day, beside the garden wall.
There clung the wren's brown nest of hay,
And wind would make the ivy shake,
And your dark locks of hair to play,
As you would tell the news of all
The day, beside the garden wall.
The while might run, the summer sun,
On high, above the green-tree'd land,
Few days would come, for jaunts from home,
And none without some work on hand,
Yet we enjoy'd at eveningfall,
Our bench beside the garden wall.
On high, above the green-tree'd land,
Few days would come, for jaunts from home,
And none without some work on hand,
Yet we enjoy'd at eveningfall,
Our bench beside the garden wall.
Our flow'rs would blow, our fruit would grow,
To hang in air, or lie on ground,
Our bees would hum, or go and come
By small-door'd hives, well hackled round;
All this we had, and over all
Our bench beside the garden wall.
To hang in air, or lie on ground,
Our bees would hum, or go and come
By small-door'd hives, well hackled round;
All this we had, and over all
Our bench beside the garden wall.
| Poems of Rural Life in Common English | |