 | Evensong |  |
37
THE WAYSIDE BANK
With primroses gentle
She did her bedight,
Lovely was her mantle
With green and white.
She did her bedight,
Lovely was her mantle
With green and white.
The freck'ed gold cowslip
Did her adorn
With daisies that open
Their eyes at morn.
Did her adorn
With daisies that open
Their eyes at morn.
The blue of the speedwell
Made her sweet eyne.
Her cheek did the wild rose
Incarnadine.
Made her sweet eyne.
Her cheek did the wild rose
Incarnadine.
With honeysuck and clover
And woodruff pale,
Embroidered over
Was her beauty's veil.
And woodruff pale,
Embroidered over
Was her beauty's veil.
The road goes past her
In dust and heat,
Faster and faster
Go the wheels, the feet.
In dust and heat,
Faster and faster
Go the wheels, the feet.
With roar and rattle
They leave her behind,
The people, the cattle,
They are deaf and blind.
They leave her behind,
The people, the cattle,
They are deaf and blind.
38
But all night thorough
She sleeps in sweet dark,
Till from the furrow
Springs up the lark.
She sleeps in sweet dark,
Till from the furrow
Springs up the lark.
She bathes in Maydew
Her morning face:
No flaunting garden
Shall her surpass.
Her morning face:
No flaunting garden
Shall her surpass.
And many a traveller
Who goes the way
Keeps a green thought of her
For the dusty day.
Who goes the way
Keeps a green thought of her
For the dusty day.
| Evensong | |