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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BALLAD
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
BALLAD
[& ralph ye have leard a fine language to woo me]
& ralph ye have leard a fine language to woo me
In saying my cheeks wi the roseys may vie
But ralph & what good will these fine praises do me
If loves all the portion weve got to live bye
The rose on the plain may be sweet & perfuming
But what can its beauty avail wi the storm
Full pale is too many a cheek that was blooming
Where povertys marriage is seen to deform
In saying my cheeks wi the roseys may vie
But ralph & what good will these fine praises do me
If loves all the portion weve got to live bye
The rose on the plain may be sweet & perfuming
But what can its beauty avail wi the storm
Full pale is too many a cheek that was blooming
Where povertys marriage is seen to deform
I 'member when I was a young thing wi granney
As high there abouts as this table may be
She once stopt her wheel saying harken tot Nanny
What when yer grown up may be usfull to thee
Neer look on the blossom to value its shining
Theres more wears a glitter sides silver & gold
Ye oft see a flower in the spring blast declining
But take yah an old hedge to creep from the cold
As high there abouts as this table may be
She once stopt her wheel saying harken tot Nanny
What when yer grown up may be usfull to thee
103
Theres more wears a glitter sides silver & gold
Ye oft see a flower in the spring blast declining
But take yah an old hedge to creep from the cold
& yeve learnd a set of fine words in loves jargon
& these are cold conforts when once they decay
Unless lad yeve money to strengthen the bargain
The lamp light of fondness soon burneth away
Theres want & theres childern loves fire to extinguish
& family troubles of sorrow & care
All thoughts of a wife ralph Id beg ye relinquish
Or seek one more easy to catch in yer snare
& these are cold conforts when once they decay
Unless lad yeve money to strengthen the bargain
The lamp light of fondness soon burneth away
Theres want & theres childern loves fire to extinguish
& family troubles of sorrow & care
All thoughts of a wife ralph Id beg ye relinquish
Or seek one more easy to catch in yer snare
Gi me when I marry old safe wi his w[r]inkles
Whose only temptations in gaining a wife
Is his hands in his pockets his guineas to tinkle
& bragging of making her happy for life
Thats all my choice if good lucks my promotion
Ill stick to the story my grandmother told
Bare beauty & youth may please sombody[s] notion
But gi me an old hedge to creep from the cold
Whose only temptations in gaining a wife
Is his hands in his pockets his guineas to tinkle
& bragging of making her happy for life
Thats all my choice if good lucks my promotion
Ill stick to the story my grandmother told
Bare beauty & youth may please sombody[s] notion
But gi me an old hedge to creep from the cold
| The early poems of John Clare | |