66 SONG. [FROM THE LADY OF THE LAKE."] OLDIER, rest! thy warfare o'er, Dream of battle-fields no more, breaking; Hands unseen thy couch are strewing, Every sense with slumber dewing. No rude'sound shall reach thine ear, Mustering clan, or squadron tramping. Booming from the sedgy shallow. SCOTT. THE LADY'S GRAVE. HEY laid my lady in her grave, My lady with the deep blue eye; 'Twas not in sainted ground Where crosses stand around, But by the river's side, where the green sedges wave. They had not seen that lady's smile Hallow'd by prayer and priest, Would not have been withheld, as if from something vile. They would have loved that deep blue eye, And in her candid look Read, as in holy book, Immortal things and pure, belonging to the sky. But by the river's sedgy brink, Where her cold corse was floating found, Unbless'd by priest or pray'r, Where yellow iris and pale reeds the water drink. The river lily's humid flow'r, In place of tomb, denied By harsh and impious pride, Grow there; and sounds from heav'n sweep by at evening hour. MARY BODDINGTON. TO THE CUCKOO. BLITHE New-comer! I have heard, O Cuckoo! shall I call thee Bird, Or but a wandering Voice? While I am lying on the grass Thy twofold shout I hear, That seems to fill the whole air's space, Though babbling only to the Vale, Of sunshine and of flowers, Thou bringest unto me a tale Thrice welcome, darling of the Spring! Even yet thou art to me No bird, but an invisible thing, A voice, a mystery; The same whom in my school-boy days Which made me look a thousand ways To seek thee did I often rove Through woods and on the green; And thou wert still a hope, a love; Still long'd for, never seen. And I can listen to thee yet; O blessed Bird! the earth we pace An unsubstantial, faery place; That is fit home for Thee! WORDSWORTH. IN THE STILLNESS O' THE NIGHT. Ο [DORSET DIALECT.] V all the housen1 o' the pliace, There's oone2 wher I da3 like to call By dae ar night the best ov all, To zee my Fanny's smilèn fiace; 6 8 An' dere at evemen,5 I da goo, 1 Housen, houses. 2 Oone, one. 3 Da, do. there. Evemen, evening. Auver, over. gates. 5 6 4 Dere, 7 Ghiates, Clumper, gather in a lump, (an excellent word.) 9 Stratch, stretch. 10 Hatch, wicket-gate.. An' zometimes she da goo1 to zome Young nâighbours' housen down the plaice, Her out, an' goo to zee her huome;3 WILLIAM BARNES. A SONG. SPIRIT haunts the year's last hours, For at eventide, listening earnestly, At his work you may hear him sob and sigh Earthward he boweth the heavy stalks Heavily hangs the broad sunflower Over its grave i' the earth so chilly; Heavily hangs the tiger-lily. The air is damp, and hush'd, and close, An hour before death: My very heart faints and my whole soul grieves At the moist rich smell of the rotting leaves, And the breath 2 3 1 Goo, go. field. 4 Vield, |