The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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TO THE BUTTERFLYE |
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
21
TO THE BUTTERFLYE
Lovley insect haste awayGreet once more the sunny day,
Leave, o leave the mirky barn
Ere trapping spiders thee discern,
If they do they will beset
Thy golden wings in filmy net,
Then alls in vain to set thee free
Hopes all lost for Liberty
Soon they'l drag thee in the wall
Suck thy downy form and all;
Murder tho a base employ
Tis the spiders only joy
Then lovley insect haste away
Greet once more the sunny day.
Never think that I belie,
Never fear a winters skie,
Budding oaks may now be seen,
Starry daises deck the green
Primrose groups the wood adorns
Cloudless skies and blossom'd thorns
These all prove that spring is here,
Haste away then never fear.
Skim oer hill and valley free
Perch upon the blossom'd tree;
Tho my garden would be best
Couldst thou but contented rest,
There the schoolboy has no power
Thee to chase from flower to flower,
22
Faraway they do resort,
Nothing there but Liberty
Pleasent place for thee and me,
Then lovley insect haste away
Greet once more the sunny day.
Hither bend thy roving flight
In my garden take delight,
Tho the dew bent level dale
Bears the lilly of the vale,
Tho the thickets bushy dell
Tempts thee to the foxglove's bell;
Come but once within my bounds
View the gardens airy rounds,
Soon thou'lt find a sweeter air
Tho there's not such numbers there,
Soon thou'lt find the scene compleat
And every flowret twice as sweet;
Then lovley insect come away
Greet once more the sunny day:—
Oft I've seen when warm and dry
'Mong the beanfields bosom high,
Thee lightly skim from pea to pea,
(Solitude for the[e] and me)
Then thy starry gems and gold
Admiration would unfold;
For what insect is't can vie
With the lovley Butterflye
Lo! the arching heav'nly bow
Does all his dyes on thee bestow,
Crimson, Blue, and watry Green
Mix'd with Azure shade between
These are thine:—thou first in place
Queen of all the insect race
And I've often thought alone
This to thee was not unknown;
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When I've found thee on a flower,
(Searching ken with minute gleg)
Oft Ive seen thy little leg,
Soft as glass o'er velvet glides
Smoothen down thy silken sides
Then thy wings would ope' and shut,
Then thou seemingly would strut.
Was it nature, was it pride
Let the learned world decide;
Enough for me, (tho some may deem
This a trifling silly theme)
Wouldst thou in my garden come
To join the bee's delightful hum,
These silly themes then day and night
Should be thy triflers whole delight;
Then lovley insect haste away
Greet once more the sunny day.
| The early poems of John Clare | |