 | Fleet Street Eclogues |  |
31
GOOD-FRIDAY
BASIL SANDY BRIAN MENZIESSandy
Pfff! journalists; the wind blows snell!
Brian
To-day we freeze, to-morrow fry.
Basil
And yesterday the black rain fell
In sheets from London's smoky sky,
Like water through a dirty sieve.In sheets from London's smoky sky,
Menzies
March many-weathers, as they say,
In country nooks where proverbs live,
And folk distinguish night from day.
32
And folk distinguish night from day.
Sandy
Well, we shall make a day of night:
Behold with gules and or a fire
Emblazoned, and a mellow light;
And things that journalists require.
Behold with gules and or a fire
Emblazoned, and a mellow light;
And things that journalists require.
So let us open out our lore,
And chat as snugly as the dead;
And damned be those who came before,
And all our brilliant sayings said.
And chat as snugly as the dead;
And damned be those who came before,
And all our brilliant sayings said.
Brian
I love not brilliance; give me words
Of meadow-growth and garden plot,
Of larks and blackcaps; gaudy birds,
Gay flowers and jewels like me not.
Of meadow-growth and garden plot,
Of larks and blackcaps; gaudy birds,
Gay flowers and jewels like me not.
33
The age-end journalist it seems
Can change his spots and turn his dress,
For you are he whose copy teems
With paradox and preciousness.
Can change his spots and turn his dress,
For you are he whose copy teems
With paradox and preciousness.
Brian
Last night I watched the evening star
Outshine the moon it so excelled;
And since my thought has been afar
With deep and simple things of eld.
Outshine the moon it so excelled;
And since my thought has been afar
With deep and simple things of eld.
I heard in Fleet Street all the day,
While traffic rolled and bells were rung,
The sombre, wailing Tenebrae,
The Sistine Miserere sung.
While traffic rolled and bells were rung,
The sombre, wailing Tenebrae,
The Sistine Miserere sung.
I saw great people make their Maunds;
The prelate leave his lofty seat;
A kaiser break imperial bonds
To serve the poor and wash their feet.
The prelate leave his lofty seat;
A kaiser break imperial bonds
To serve the poor and wash their feet.
34
I saw where countless hearts besought
Pardon, for heaven's sweet peace athirst;
And through my soul the tender thought
Of Mary, Virgin-mother, pierced.
Pardon, for heaven's sweet peace athirst;
And through my soul the tender thought
Of Mary, Virgin-mother, pierced.
I saw a city kneeling down,
I saw the gonfanon unfurled,
I saw the Pope in triple crown
Stand up for God and bless the world.
I saw the gonfanon unfurled,
I saw the Pope in triple crown
Stand up for God and bless the world.
Templars I saw, and monks and nuns,
I saw frail priests strong kings command;
I thought how great the world was once
When Heaven and Hell were close at hand.
I saw frail priests strong kings command;
I thought how great the world was once
When Heaven and Hell were close at hand.
The gloaming came; I ceased to ache,
For in my veins the springtime welled,
And soothed my fancy to forsake
The deep and simple things of eld,
For in my veins the springtime welled,
And soothed my fancy to forsake
The deep and simple things of eld,
And fly away where blackbirds sing,
To wander free in dale and down.
To wander free in dale and down.
35
I would that I could see the spring!
Sandy
Has any one been out of town?
Menzies
I have for weeks.
Basil
For weeks? By heaven!
What deeds heroic have you wrought
That such a foretaste should be given
Of Paradise?
What deeds heroic have you wrought
That such a foretaste should be given
Of Paradise?
Menzies
I earned it not.
'Twas accident: nor did I know
Till now, that when they come to die
Good press-men to the country go.
Till now, that when they come to die
Good press-men to the country go.
36
Brian
I think it's true.
Sandy
And so do I.
Heaven is to tread unpaven ground,
And care no more for prose or rhyme.
Dear Menzies, talk of sight and sound,
And make us feel the blossom-time.
And care no more for prose or rhyme.
Dear Menzies, talk of sight and sound,
And make us feel the blossom-time.
Menzies
Then let my fancy dive and hale
Pearls from my wandering memory,
Unstrung, unsorted, else I fail
To see the spring and make you see.
Pearls from my wandering memory,
Unstrung, unsorted, else I fail
To see the spring and make you see.
Already round the oak at eve
Good people prate of gain and loss;
With folded hands some sit and grieve—
New mounds the green churchyard emboss.
Good people prate of gain and loss;
With folded hands some sit and grieve—
New mounds the green churchyard emboss.
37
The osier-peelers—ragged bands—
In osier-holts their business ply;
Like strokes of silver willow-wands
On river banks a-bleaching lie.
In osier-holts their business ply;
Like strokes of silver willow-wands
On river banks a-bleaching lie.
The patchwork sunshine nets the lea;
The flitting shadows halt and pass;
Forlorn, the mossy humble-bee
Lounges along the flowerless grass.
The flitting shadows halt and pass;
Forlorn, the mossy humble-bee
Lounges along the flowerless grass.
With unseen smoke as pure as dew,
Sweeter than love or lovers are,
Wood-violets of watchet hue
Their secret hearths betray afar.
Sweeter than love or lovers are,
Wood-violets of watchet hue
Their secret hearths betray afar.
The vanguards of the daisies come,
Summer's crusaders sanguine-stained,
The only flowers that left their home
When happiness in Eden reigned.
Summer's crusaders sanguine-stained,
The only flowers that left their home
When happiness in Eden reigned.
38
They strayed abroad, old writers tell,
Hardy and bold, east, west, south, north:
Our guilty parents, when they fell,
And flaming vengeance drove them forth,
Hardy and bold, east, west, south, north:
Our guilty parents, when they fell,
And flaming vengeance drove them forth,
Their haggard eyes in vain to God,
To all the stars of heaven turned;
But when they saw where in the sod,
The golden-hearted daisies burned,
To all the stars of heaven turned;
But when they saw where in the sod,
The golden-hearted daisies burned,
Sweet thoughts that still within them dwelt
Awoke, and tears embalmed their smart;
On Eden's daisies couched they felt
They carried Eden in their heart.
Awoke, and tears embalmed their smart;
On Eden's daisies couched they felt
They carried Eden in their heart.
Basil
Oh, little flower so sweet and dear!
Sandy
Oh, humanest of flowers that grow!
39
Brian
Oh, little brave adventurer!
We human beings love you so!
Menzies
We human beings love it so!
And when a maiden's dainty shoe
Can cover nine, the gossips know
The fulness of the Spring is due.
And when a maiden's dainty shoe
Can cover nine, the gossips know
The fulness of the Spring is due.
Brian
The gallant flower!
Sandy
Its health! Come, drink!
Menzies
Its health! By heaven, in Highland style!
Basil
The daisy's health! And now, we'll think
Of Eden silently a while.
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