 | The Poems of A. C. Benson |  |
258
THE BARBEL
Bearded Barbel, swimming deep
In the cool translucent gloom,
Poised in contemplative sleep,
In your liquid moving room:
In the cool translucent gloom,
Poised in contemplative sleep,
In your liquid moving room:
Where the watery gleams transfuse
Coated rush and sleek strong reed,
Up the swaying avenues,
Rimmed with plumed and velvet weed:
Coated rush and sleek strong reed,
Up the swaying avenues,
Rimmed with plumed and velvet weed:
Bearded Barbel, you survey
Hour by hour the pebbly floor:
Have you ne'er a wish to stray
Wider from the willowy shore?
Hour by hour the pebbly floor:
Have you ne'er a wish to stray
Wider from the willowy shore?
Have you ne'er a wilful wonder
Whence the dancing bubbles gleam,
Whence the broad weir's drowsy thunder
Mutters down the murmuring stream?
Whence the dancing bubbles gleam,
Whence the broad weir's drowsy thunder
Mutters down the murmuring stream?
Bearded Barbel, be content!
Your dim world is small and sweet;
Let your safer merriment
Laugh to scorn our restless feet.
Your dim world is small and sweet;
Let your safer merriment
Laugh to scorn our restless feet.
259
If your curious wilful greed
Tempt you, ah the illusive gleam!
You will suffer, you will bleed,
Writhing in the troubled stream.
Tempt you, ah the illusive gleam!
You will suffer, you will bleed,
Writhing in the troubled stream.
Sweeps a wild bewildering glare:
Gleams your silver mail beneath:
Then the thin and acid air
Chokes your faint and sobbing breath.
Gleams your silver mail beneath:
Then the thin and acid air
Chokes your faint and sobbing breath.
| The Poems of A. C. Benson | |