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 |
 |
 |
|
The Country Church.
|
 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
268
The Country Church.
The blue of the forget-me-not
Is blossoming in the sky,
The gentian-flower's most inner heart
Hath not so deep a dye;
'T is purest sapphire liquefied,
That glows in glory and in pride.
Is blossoming in the sky,
The gentian-flower's most inner heart
Hath not so deep a dye;
'T is purest sapphire liquefied,
That glows in glory and in pride.
The young leaves on the elder-rods
Shine with a thin soft gold;
The cock, the farmyard Sultan,
Struts in the sunshine bold,
Transparent crimson all his crest,
Red brazen plumes upon his breast.
Shine with a thin soft gold;
The cock, the farmyard Sultan,
Struts in the sunshine bold,
Transparent crimson all his crest,
Red brazen plumes upon his breast.
A Sabbath stillness fills the air:
The very larks aloft,
Scaling the white rose-puffs of cloud,
Are singing hushed and soft;
With pious meditation, feed
The tranquil cows in the green mead.
The very larks aloft,
Scaling the white rose-puffs of cloud,
Are singing hushed and soft;
With pious meditation, feed
The tranquil cows in the green mead.
Patient and blind, with Samson strength,
The village church doth stand,
The hearse-plume yew its only kith
In all this English land,
The warder for long centuries
Of these poor country crofts and leas.
The village church doth stand,
The hearse-plume yew its only kith
In all this English land,
The warder for long centuries
Of these poor country crofts and leas.
The rainbow glass has gone to dust,
The dial's lightning-rent,
The weathercock upon the roof
Is crazed and tempest-bent;
The weatherbeaten tower stands there,
Rapt in its long unceasing prayer.
The dial's lightning-rent,
The weathercock upon the roof
Is crazed and tempest-bent;
The weatherbeaten tower stands there,
Rapt in its long unceasing prayer.
A curious latticing of shade
Under the windows falls,
A flickering of the yew-tree's gloom
Wavering on mouldy walls.
You hear the blackbirds in the calm,
Between the pauses of the psalm.
Under the windows falls,
A flickering of the yew-tree's gloom
Wavering on mouldy walls.
You hear the blackbirds in the calm,
Between the pauses of the psalm.
The sunshine on the battered tombs
Sheds benedictions—smiles,
That passing, bless the children there
Sitting along the aisles;
While swallows underneath the eaves
Chatter about the coming leaves.
Sheds benedictions—smiles,
That passing, bless the children there
Sitting along the aisles;
While swallows underneath the eaves
Chatter about the coming leaves.
The vicar for a moment stops—
The thrushes in the laurels
Break in upon the half-read hymn
With snatches of their carols;
The sparrow on the window-sill
Chirps with much love, but little skill.
The thrushes in the laurels
Break in upon the half-read hymn
With snatches of their carols;
The sparrow on the window-sill
Chirps with much love, but little skill.
On Sundays, how brave faces crowd
As the old bell tolls in!
Glossy their hair, happy their eyes,
Rich crimson-brown their skin—
Pulling their forelocks down, they go,
What time the organ 'gins to blow.
As the old bell tolls in!
Glossy their hair, happy their eyes,
Rich crimson-brown their skin—
Pulling their forelocks down, they go,
What time the organ 'gins to blow.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |