Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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Autumn Pictures.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
Autumn Pictures.
I. EVENING.
The grass is dank with twilight dew;
The sky is throbbing thick with stars—
I see the never-parted Twins,
And, guarding them, the warrior Mars;
High, too, above the dark elm-trees,
Glitter the sister Pleiades.
The sky is throbbing thick with stars—
I see the never-parted Twins,
And, guarding them, the warrior Mars;
High, too, above the dark elm-trees,
Glitter the sister Pleiades.
No foot upon the quiet bridge—
No foot upon the quiet road;
No bird stirs in the covert walks;
Only the watchman is abroad.
From distant gate, the mastiff's bark
Comes sounding cheerly through the dark.
No foot upon the quiet road;
No bird stirs in the covert walks;
Only the watchman is abroad.
From distant gate, the mastiff's bark
Comes sounding cheerly through the dark.
The hazel leaves, black velvet now,
Rise patterned 'gainst the twilight sky;
The restless swallow sleeps at last,
The owl unveils its luminous eye;
Our cottage like a lighthouse shines
From out its covering of vines.
Rise patterned 'gainst the twilight sky;
The restless swallow sleeps at last,
The owl unveils its luminous eye;
Our cottage like a lighthouse shines
From out its covering of vines.
I know above my lamp-lit room
The kindly angel-stars are watching,
O'er the long line of dark-ridged roof,
Far over gable-end and thatching;
And now I blow the light out—pray,
Dear wife, for him who's far away.
The kindly angel-stars are watching,
O'er the long line of dark-ridged roof,
Far over gable-end and thatching;
And now I blow the light out—pray,
Dear wife, for him who's far away.
II. MORNING.
With Hope renewed, with fresher love,
With heart revived and brighter eyes,
Now Morning glitters in the grass;
With gladsome thought, I 'gin to rise.
The lawn is blooming dewy grey,
Flower-like expands the golden day.
With heart revived and brighter eyes,
Now Morning glitters in the grass;
With gladsome thought, I 'gin to rise.
The lawn is blooming dewy grey,
Flower-like expands the golden day.
The robin on the mountain ash
His morning hymn sings sweet to me;
High on the topmost twig alone
He carols, calm, clear, jocundly.
The yellow leaves around him fall;
From distant fields the blackbirds call.
His morning hymn sings sweet to me;
High on the topmost twig alone
He carols, calm, clear, jocundly.
The yellow leaves around him fall;
From distant fields the blackbirds call.
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One rose, on this grey Autumn day,
Blooms with a steadfast flame,
Like other flowers in slow decay,
Going to whence they came:
Like swarms of golden butterflies,
The dead leaves fill October skies.
Blooms with a steadfast flame,
Like other flowers in slow decay,
Going to whence they came:
Like swarms of golden butterflies,
The dead leaves fill October skies.
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Through ceaseless golden rain of leaves,
The market carts jog by,
While morning clouds, go, fraught with light,
In order through the sky.
The trees, with hushed and bated breath,
Are waiting silently for death.
The market carts jog by,
While morning clouds, go, fraught with light,
In order through the sky.
The trees, with hushed and bated breath,
Are waiting silently for death.
The bees are on the ivy bloom,
Blythe as in April-time;
The gathering swallows on the roofs
Look toward another clime,
Teaching us all that, proud or meek,
We too another home must seek.
Blythe as in April-time;
The gathering swallows on the roofs
Look toward another clime,
Teaching us all that, proud or meek,
We too another home must seek.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |