And after April, when May follows, And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossom"d pear-tree in the hedge Leans to the field and scatters on the clover Blossoms and dewdrops--at the bent spray"s edge-- That "s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, Lest you should think he never could recapture The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with h.o.a.ry dew, All will be gay when noontide wakes anew The b.u.t.tercups, the little children"s dower --Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
Robert Browning. 1812-1889
730. Home-thoughts, from the Sea
n.o.bLY, n.o.bly Cape Saint Vincent to the North-west died away; Sunset ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into Cadiz Bay; Bluish "mid the burning water, full in face Trafalgar lay; In the dimmest North-east distance dawn"d Gibraltar grand and gray; "Here and here did England help me: how can I help England?"--say, Whoso turns as I, this evening, turn to G.o.d to praise and pray, While Jove"s planet rises yonder, silent over Africa.
William Bell Scott. 1812-1890
731. The Which"s Ballad
O, I hae come from far away, From a warm land far away, A southern land across the sea, With sailor-lads about the mast, Merry and canny, and kind to me.
And I hae been to yon town To try my luck in yon town; Nort, and Mysie, Elspie too.
Right braw we were to pa.s.s the gate, Wi" gowden clasps on girdles blue.
Mysie smiled wi" miminy mouth, Innocent mouth, miminy mouth; Elspie wore a scarlet gown, Nort"s grey eyes were unco" gleg.
My Castile comb was like a crown.
We walk"d abreast all up the street, Into the market up the street; Our hair with marigolds was wound, Our bodices with love-knots laced, Our merchandise with tansy bound.
Nort had chickens, I had c.o.c.ks, Gamesome c.o.c.ks, loud-crowing c.o.c.ks; Mysie ducks, and Elspie drakes,-- For a wee groat or a pound; We lost nae time wi" gives and takes.
--Lost nae time, for well we knew, In our sleeves full well we knew, When the gloaming came that night, Duck nor drake, nor hen nor c.o.c.k Would be found by candle-light.
And when our chaffering all was done, All was paid for, sold and done, We drew a glove on ilka hand, We sweetly curtsied, each to each, And deftly danced a saraband.
The market-la.s.sies look"d and laugh"d, Left their gear, and look"d and laugh"d; They made as they would join the game, But soon their mithers, wild and wud, With whack and screech they stopp"d the same.
Sae loud the tongues o" randies grew, The flytin" and the skirlin" grew, At all the windows in the place, Wi" spoons or knives, wi" needle or awl, Was thrust out every hand and face.
And down each stair they throng"d anon, Gentle, semple, throng"d anon: Souter and tailor, frowsy Nan, The ancient widow young again, Simpering behind her fan.
Without a choice, against their will, Doited, dazed, against their will, The market la.s.sie and her mither, The farmer and his husbandman, Hand in hand dance a" thegither.
Slow at first, but faster soon, Still increasing, wild and fast, Hoods and mantles, hats and hose, Blindly doff"d and cast away, Left them naked, heads and toes.
They would have torn us limb from limb, Dainty limb from dainty limb; But never one of them could win Across the line that I had drawn With bleeding thumb a-widdershin.
But there was Jeff the provost"s son, Jeff the provost"s only son; There was Father Auld himsel", The Lombard frae the hostelry, And the lawyer Peter Fell.
All goodly men we singled out, Waled them well, and singled out, And drew them by the left hand in; Mysie the priest, and Elspie won The Lombard, Nort the lawyer carle, I mysel" the provost"s son.
Then, with cantrip kisses seven, Three times round with kisses seven, Warp"d and woven there spun we Arms and legs and flaming hair, Like a whirlwind on the sea.
Like a wind that sucks the sea, Over and in and on the sea, Good sooth it was a mad delight; And every man of all the four Shut his eyes and laugh"d outright.
Laugh"d as long as they had breath, Laugh"d while they had sense or breath; And close about us coil"d a mist Of gnats and midges, wasps and flies, Like the whirlwind shaft it rist.
Drawn up I was right off my feet, Into the mist and off my feet; And, dancing on each chimney-top, I saw a thousand darling imps Keeping time with skip and hop.
And on the provost"s brave ridge-tile, On the provost"s grand ridge-tile, The Blackamoor first to master me I saw, I saw that winsome smile, The mouth that did my heart beguile, And spoke the great Word over me, In the land beyond the sea.
I call"d his name, I call"d aloud, Alas! I call"d on him aloud; And then he fill"d his hand with stour, And threw it towards me in the air; My mouse flew out, I lost my pow"r!
My l.u.s.ty strength, my power were gone; Power was gone, and all was gone.
He will not let me love him more!
Of bell and whip and horse"s tail He cares not if I find a store.
But I am proud if he is fierce!
I am as proud as he is fierce; I"ll turn about and backward go, If I meet again that Blackamoor, And he"ll help us then, for he shall know I seek another paramour.
And we"ll gang once more to yon town, Wi" better luck to yon town; We"ll walk in silk and cramoisie, And I shall wed the provost"s son My lady of the town I"ll be!
For I was born a crown"d king"s child, Born and nursed a king"s child, King o" a land ayont the sea, Where the Blackamoor kiss"d me first, And taught me art and glamourie.
Each one in her wame shall hide Her hairy mouse, her wary mouse, Fed on madwort and agramie,-- Wear amber beads between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, And blind-worm"s skin about her knee.
The Lombard shall be Elspie"s man, Elspie"s gowden husband-man; Nort shall take the lawyer"s hand; The priest shall swear another vow: We"ll dance again the saraband!
miminy] prim, demure. gleg] bright, sharp. wud] mad. randies]
viragoes. flytin"] scolding. skirlin"] shrieking. souter]
cobbler. doited] mazed. a-widdershin] the wrong way of the sun: or E. to W. through N. waled] chose. cantrip] magic. stour]
dust. cramoisie] crimson. ayont] beyond. glamourie] wizardry.
Aubrey De Vere. 1814-1902
732. Serenade
SOFTLY, O midnight Hours!
Move softly o"er the bowers Where lies in happy sleep a girl so fair!
For ye have power, men say, Our hearts in sleep to sway, And cage cold fancies in a moonlight snare.
Round ivory neck and arm Enclasp a separate charm; Hang o"er her poised, but breathe nor sigh nor prayer: Silently ye may smile, But hold your breath the while, And let the wind sweep back your cloudy hair!
Bend down your glittering urns, Ere yet the dawn returns, And star with dew the lawn her feet shall tread; Upon the air rain balm, Bid all the woods be calm, Ambrosial dreams with healthful slumbers wed; That so the Maiden may With smiles your care repay, When from her couch she lifts her golden head; Waking with earliest birds, Ere yet the misty herds Leave warm "mid the gray gra.s.s their dusky bed.
Aubrey De Vere. 1814-1902
733. Sorrow
COUNT each affliction, whether light or grave, G.o.d"s messenger sent down to thee; do thou With courtesy receive him; rise and bow; And, ere his shadow pa.s.s thy threshold, crave Permission first his heavenly feet to lave; Then lay before him all thou hast; allow No cloud of pa.s.sion to usurp thy brow, Or mar thy hospitality; no wave Of mortal tumult to obliterate The soul"s marmoreal calmness: Grief should be, Like joy, majestic, equable, sedate; Confirming, cleansing, raising, making free; Strong to consume small troubles; to commend Great thoughts, grave thoughts, thoughts lasting to the end.