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Wm. Tyrrell & Ckx,

Toronto

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

SHROPSHIRE LAD

A. E.

HO US MAN

JOHN LANE COMPANY

THE BODLEY HEAD, NEW YORK
MCMXVII

PR

630001'

29 7. ^L

CONTENTS
Page

No.
I.

From Clee to heaven the beacon burns

II.

Loveliest of trees, the cherry

III.

Leave your home behhid, lad

IV.

V.
VI.

VII.
VIII.
IX.

XII.
XIII.

....

Wake the silver dusk returning ...

Oh see how thick the goldcup flowers
When the lad for longing sighs ...
When smoke stood up from Ludlow
Farewell to barn and stack and tree

4
6

On

air

On your midnight pallet lying

When I watch the living meet
When I was one-and-twenty

10
11

13

14

17

....
There pass the careless people ....
my eyes,
fear ....
Look not

XIV.
for
in
XV.
XVI. It nods and curtseys and recovers
XVII. Twice a week the winter thorough
XVIII. Oh, when I was in love with you
XIX. The time you won your town the race

....
.

moonlit heath and lonesome bank

X. The Sun at noon to higher

XI.

now

18
19

20
21

23

24

24

...

25

26

COXTENTS
Page
enough are sky and plain
28
XXI. In summertime on Bredon
29
XXII. The street sounds to the soldiers' tread 32
No.

XX. Oh

fair

....

XXIII. The lads

XXIV.

XXV.

in their

hundreds

....

Say, lad, have you things to do

This time of year a twelvemonth past

XXVI. Along

the field as

we came by

XXVII. Is my team ploughing

XXVIII. High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam
XXIX 'T is spring come out to ramble
;

XXX

Others,

am

not the

XXXI. On Wenlock Edge

first

....
.

....

XXXIV. Oh, sick I am to see you

XXXV. On the idle hill of summer ....
XXXVI. White in the moon the long road Ues
XXXVII. As through the wild green hills of
Wyre

XL.

'T

is

Into

time,

my

37

38
40

43

44

47

48

49
51

52

53

out of the west land blow

55

by Wenlock town

56

think,

heart an air that

kills

...
...

XLI. In my own shire, if I was sad

XLII. Once in the wind of morning
XLI 1 1. When I meet the morning beam

XLIV. Shot?

36

45

XXXII. From far, from eve and morning

XXXIII. If truth in hearts that perish ...

XXXIX.

35

the wood's in

trouble

XXXVIII. The winds

33

so quick, so clean an ending

vi

57
58

60

64

67

CONTENTS
Page

No.

XLV.

If

it

chance your eye offend you

XLVI. Bring, in this timeless grave

XLVII. Here the hangman stops his

to

throw

cart

XLVIII. Be stiU, my soul, be still

XLIX. Think no more, lad laugh, be jolly
LI.

In valleys of springs of rivers

Loitering with a vacant eye

69
.

73

...

76

....
....

....

83

85

86

...

87
87

88

...

89

....

91

...

95

hoed and trenched and weeded

Vll

83

79

80

LVI. Far I hear the bugle blow

LVII. You smile upon your friend to-day
LVIII. When I came last to Ludlow
LIX. The star-filled seas are smooth to-night
LX. Now hollow fires burn out to black
LXI. The vane on Hughley steeple
LXIII.

78

this is stupid stuff

71

75

LI I. Far in a western brookland

LI 1 1. The lad came to the door at night
LIV. With rue my heart is laden
LV. Westward on the high-hilled plains

LXII. Terence,

69

L.

1887

From Clee
The

to

shires

heaven the beacon bums.

have seen

plain.

it

From north and south the

And

Look

beacons

left,

The

bum

sign returns

again.

look right, the

hills

are bright.

dales are light between.

Because

't is fifty

years to-night

That God has saved the Queen*

Now, when the flame they watch not towers

About the
Lads,

we

Who
I

'11

soil

they trod.

remember

friends of ours

shared the work with God.

I

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
To

skies that knit their heartstrings right,

To

The

It

fields that

saviours

bred them brave^

come not home to-night

Themselves they could not

save.

in Asia, tombstones

show

dawns

And Shropshire names are read

And the Nile spills his overflow
Beside the Severn's dead.

We

pledge in peace by farm and town

The Queen they served

And

fire

The

'

in war,

the beacons up and

land they perished

down

for.

God save the Queen we living sing,

From height to height 't is heard
'

And

with the rest your voices ring.

Lads of the

Fifty-third.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Oh, God

will save her, fear

Be you the meji you

Get you the sons your

And God

you not

've been.

fathers got,

will save the

Queen.

II

Loveliest of trees, the cherry

Is

now

hung with bloom along the bough,

And

stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white

for Eastertide.

Now, of my threescore years and

Twenty

And

will not

come

ten,

again.

take from seventy springs a score.

It only leaves

me

fifty

more.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
And

since to look at things in

bloom

Fifty springs are little room.

About the woodlands

To

see the cheiTy

vnW go

hung with snow.

9
III

THE RECRUIT
Leave your home behind,

lad.

And reach your friends your

And go, and luck go with you
While Ludlow tower

hand.

shall stand.

Oh, come you home of Sunday

When Ludlow

streets are

still

And Ludlow bells are calling

To farm and lane and mill,
4

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Or come you home of Monday
When Ludlow market hums

And Ludlow chimes

are playing

The conquering hero comes/

'

Come you home a hero,

Or come not home at
The

lads

Till

you leave

Ludlow tower

And you

will list

That blows

And make
Be

sorry

And you

On

will

mind you

shall

fall.

the bugle

in lands of

morn.

the foes of England

you were born.

till

trump of doomsday

lands of

And make

all.

mom may

lie.

the hearts of comrades

Be heavy where you

5

die.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Leave your home behind you.

Your

Oh, town and

by

field

and town

field will

mind you

friends

Ludlow tower

Till

is

down.

IV

REVEILLE
Wake the silver dusk retuminsr
Up the beach of darkness brims.
And the ship of sunrise burning
:

Strands upon the eastern rims.

Wake

the vaulted shadow shatters,

Trampled

And

to the floor

it

spanned.

the tent of night in tatters

Straws the sky-pavilioned land.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Up,

ladj up,

't is

late for lying

Hear the dnims of morning play

Hark, the empty highways
'

Who '11

Towns and

beyond the
countries

crj'ing

away ?

hills

woo

together.

Forelands beacon, belfries

call

Never lad that trod on leather

Lived to feast

Up, lad

his heart "vvith

thews that

lie

all.

and cumber

Sunlit pallets never thrive

Morns abed and daylight slumber

Were not meant

Clay

lies still,

Breath

Up, lad

There

's

man

but blood

's

alive.

a rover

a ware that will not keep.

when
'11

for

the journey

's

over

be time enough to sleep.

?-

A SHROPSHIliE LAD

Oh

how

see

thick the goldeup flowers

Are lying

With dandelions
That

'T
'

to tell the hours

I squire

you round the meads

pick you posies gay

will

do no harm to take

You may, young man, you

Ah, spring was sent

'T

is

now

for lass

Before the world

What

But never

'T

is

flowers to-day

Suppose
is

my

arm.

may.'

and

lad,

the blood runs gold.

And man and maid had

lane.

nev'er are told again.

Oh may
And

and

in field

as

true,

good

best be glad

old.

may flower to-morrow^

as

new.

wound my arm
young man,
8

right round

't is

true.'

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Some

lads there are^ 'tis

That only court to

And once they

'T

is little

My
'

is

enough they

true and

in

Why,
How

all for

my

men

like

me

you.

't is

eyes then, can you doubt

a mile from town.

green the grass

We

might as well

Ah,
Why
*

heart for

leave.

Perhaps, young man, perhaps.*

Oh, look

Be

thieve.

from trustless chaps.

safe

love

to say.

bear the bloom away

Then keep your

And

shame

life,

what

must true

is all

sit

is it

about

down.

but a flower

lovers sigh

kind, have pity,

my

own,

my

pretty,

Good-bye, young man, good-bye.*

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
VI

When

the lad for longing sighs,

Mute and

dull of cheer

and

If at death's

own door he

lies,

Maiden, you can heal

Lovers'

ills

The wan

are

all

to

his

buy

ail.

look, the hollow tone.

The hung head, the sunken

You can have them

Buy them, buy them

Lovers'

pale.

ills

Then you can

are
lie

But the lover

all

for

to

down

will

lO

eye.

your own.

eve and
sell.

forlorn

be well.

mom

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

VII

When smoke

stood up from

And mist blew

And blithe afield

off

Ludlow

from Teme,

to ploughing

Against the morning beam

I

strode beside

The blackbird
Looked out

my

team.

in the coppice

to see

And hearkened

me

as I whistled

The trampling team

And

'

fluted

Lie down,

What
Rise

stride,

beside.

and replied

lie

dowTi,

young yeoman

use to rise and rise

man

a thousand mornings

Yet down

at last

And then

the

he

man
II

lies.

is

wise/

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
heard the tune he sang me.

And
I

spied his yellow

bill

picked a stone and aimed

And threw
Then the
Then my

it

And

still

with a will :

bird was

soul within

Took up the

it

still.

me

blackbird's strain.

beside the horses

Along the dewy lane

It

'

sang the song again

Lie down^

lie

do>vn^

young yeoman

The sun moves always west

The road one treads to labour
Will lead one

And

home

to rest.

that will be the best.'

12

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
VIII
'

Farewell

to

bam and

stack and tree.

Farewell to Severn shore.

Terence, look your

For

last at

me.

come home no more.

'The sun bums on the half-mown

By now the blood is dried

And Maurice amongst the hay
And my knife is in his side.

hill.

'

My

mother thinks us long away

*Tis time the field were

She had two sons

To-night she

'

lies still

'11

mown.

at rising day.

be alone.

And here 's a bloody hand to shake.

And oh, man, here 's good-bye
;

We

'11

My

sweat no more on scythe and rake.

bloody hands and
13

I.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
'

wish you strength to bring you pride^

And a love to keep you clean,

And I wish you luck, come Lammastide,
At racing on the

'

Long

for

me

green.

the rick will wait.

And long will wait the fold.

And long vnW stand the empty
And dinner will be cold.'

plate.

IX

On

moonlit heath and lonesome bank

The sheep

And yon

beside

me

graze

the gallows used to clank

Fast by the four cross ways.

14

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

A careless shepherd
The

And

flocks

by moonlight there,

They hang

The

us

stood on

now

in

air.

Shrewsbury

trains all night groan

that die at

on the

Or wakes,

as

may

And naked

went

right,

that sleep outside.

to the

The morning

hangman's noose

clocks will ring

neck God made

Than

jail to-night,

betide,

A better lad, if things

Than most

rail

mom.

There sleeps in Shrewsbury

jail

whistles blow forlorn,

To men

high amongst the glimmering sheep

The dead man

And

once would keep

for other use

strangling in a string.

Hanging

in chains

was

moonlight.

IS

called keeping sheep

by

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
And sharp the link of Ufe will
And dead on air will stand

snap.

Heels that held up as straight a chap

As

treads

So here

To

And

As

'11

land.

watch the night and wait

see the morning shine.

When

And

upon the

he

"svill

hear the stroke of eight

not the stroke of nine

wish

my

lads' I

friend as sound a sleep

did not know,

That shepherded the moonlit sheep

A hundred years ago.

i6

A SHROPSHIRE

L.AD

X
MARCH
The Sun

at

noon to higher

Unharnessing the

That

air,

silver Pair

late before his chariot

swam.

Rides on the gold wool of the Ram.

So braver notes the storm-cock sings

To

start

And

the rusted wheel of things,

brutes in field and brutes in pen

Leap that the world goes round

The boys
To

are

up the woods with day

fetch the daffodils away,

And home

at

noonday from the

They bring no dearth

2

again.

ly

hills

of daffodils.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Afield for palms the girls repair^

And sure enough the palms are there.

And each will find by hedge or pond
Her waving silver-tufted wand.
In faiTQ and

field

through

The eye beholds the

Ah,

let

all

the shire

heart's desire

not only mine be vain.

For lovers should be loved again.

XI

On

your midnight pallet lying.

Listen,

and undo the door

Lads that waste the light

in sighing

In the dark should sigh no more

Night should ease a

Therefore, since
Pity

me

lover's sorrow

go to-morrow,

before.

i8

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
In the land to which

The
Once,

far dwelling, let

me

here the couch

if

In a kinder bed

And

I travel.

is

say

gravel.

I lay.

the breast the darnel smothers

Rested once upon another's

When

it

was not

clay.

XII

When
And

watch the

li\dng meet.

the movin/r pageant

Warm and
Where

file

breathing through the street

lodge a

little

If the heats of hate

and

while.

lust

In the house of flesh are strong,

me mind the house of dust

Where my sojourn shall be long.

Let

19

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
In the nation that

is

not

Nothing stands that stood before

There revenges are

And

forgot,

the hater hates no more

Lovers lying two and two

Ask not whom they

And

the bridegroom

Never turns him

sleep beside.

all

night through

to the bride.

XIII

When
I
'

was one-and-twenty

heard a wise

man

say,

Give crowns and pounds and guineas

But not your heart away

20

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Give pearls away and rubies

But keep your fancy

But

was one-and-twenty,

No

use to talk to me.

"WTien I
I
^

heart out of the

Was
is

was one-and-twenty

heard hira say again,

The

'T

free.'

bosom

never given in vain

paid with sighs a plenty

And sold for endless rue.'

And I am two-and-twenty.
And oh, 't is true, 't is true.

XIV
There
That

pass the careless people

call their souls their

Here by the road

How

idle

and

I loiter,

alone.

21

own

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Ah, past the plunge of plummet.
In seas

My

cannot sound.

heart and soul and senses.

World without end, are drowned.

His

folly

has not fellow

Beneath the blue of day

That gives to man or woman

His heart and soul away.

There flowers no balm to sain him

From
That 's

The

east of earth to west

lost for everlasting

heart out of his breast.

Here by the labouring highway

With empty hands
Sea-deep,

Lie

lost

till

my

I stroll

doomsday morning,
heart and souL

2Z

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XV
Look not

in ray eyesj for fear

They mirror

true the sight

see,

And there you find your face too clear

And love it and be lost like me.
One the long nights through must lie
Spent in star-defeated

But why should you

Perish

One

that

Looked

as well as I

gaze not in

Grecian lad, as

many

sighs.

my

hear

eyes.

tell.

loved in vain,

into a forest well

And never looked away again.

There, when the turf in springtime
With downward eye and gazes

sad,

Stands amid the glancing showers

A jonquil,

not a Grecian

23

lad.

flowers.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XVI
It nods and curtseys and recovers

When
The

the wind blows above.

nettle

on the graves of lovers

That hanged themselves

The

nettle nods, the

for love.

wind blows

over,

The man, he does not move.

The

lover of the grave, the lover

That hanged hunself

for love.

XVII
Twice a week the winter thorough

Here stood

to

keep the goal

Football then was fighting soitow

For the young man's

24

soul.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Now

in

Out

Maytime

to the wicket

march with bat and pad

See the son of grief at cricket

Trying to be glad.

Try

I will

no harm in trying

Wonder

't is

how

little

mirth

Keeps the bones of man from lying

On

the bed of earth.

XVIII
Oh, when

Then

And

was

in love with you.

was clean and brave.

miles around the wonder grew

How well

did I behave.
25

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
And now the fancy passes by.
And nothing ^vill remain.
And miles around they '11 say that

Am quite myself again.

XIX

TO AN ATHLETE DYING YOUNG

The time you won your town

We

the race

chaired you through the market-place

Man and boy stood cheering by.

And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-dav, the road

Shoulder-high

And

set

all

we

runners come,

bring you home.

you at your threshold down.

Townsman

of a

stiller

26

town.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Smart

From

And

lad, to slip
fields

early

betimes aAvay

where glory does not

stay.

though the laurel grows

It withers quicker

than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut

Ginnot see the record

And

silence sounds

cut.

no worse than cheers

After earth has stopped the ears

Now

you

Of lads

will

not swell the rout

that wore their honours out,

Runners

whom renown

And

name died

So

the

set,

before

its

outran

before the man.

echoes fade.

The

fleet foot

And

hold to the low lintel up

The

still-defended challej^e-cup.

on the

sill

37

of shade.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
And round

that early-laurelled head

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead.

And

unwithered on

find

The garland

its curls

briefer than a girl's.

XX
Oh

fair

But

enough are sky and

know

fairer far

Those are

as beautiful again

That

water are

The

pools and rivers

The
The

in the

trees

like

plain,

wash

so clean

and clouds and

air,

on earth was never seen.

And oh

that

were there.
28

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
These are the thoughts

As

often think

down

stand gazing

In act upon the cressy brink

To
But

and dive and drown

strip

in the golden-sanded brooks

And

azure meres

silly

lad that longs

And

wishes he were

spy

and looks
I.

XXI

BREDONi HILL
In summertime on Bredon

The

bells

they sound so clear

Round both the

shires

they ring them

In steeples far and near,

A happy
1

noise to hear.
Pronounced Breedon.

29

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Here of a Sunday morning

My

love and

would

And see the coloured

And hear the larks
About us

The

bells

lie.

counties.
so high

in the sky.

would ring to

call

her

In valleys miles away

'

Come

all

Good

to church,

people,

But here

my

good people

come and
love

would

pray.*
stay.

And I would turn and answer

Among the springing thyme,
'

Oh, peal upon our wedding.

And we will hear the chime.

And come to church in time.'
30

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
But when the snows

On Bredon

My

love rose

at Christmas

top were strown.

up

so early

And stole out unbeknown

And went to church alone.
They tolled the one bell only.
Groom there was none to see.
The mourners followed after.

And so to church went she.

And would not wait for me.
The bells they sound on Bredon,

And
' Come

still

all

to church,

Oh, noisy
I

the steeples hum.

bells,

hear you,

be dumb

I will

31

good people,'

come.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XXII
The

street sounds to the soldiers' tread,

And

out

we

troop to see

single redcoat turns his head.

He

turns and looks at me.

My man, from sky to sky 's

We never crossed before

so far.

Such leagues apart the world's ends

We 're

like to

What thoughts

We

meet no more

at heart

cannot stop to

But dead or
Soldier,

living,

have you and

tell

drunk or dry.

wish you well.

33

are.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XXIII

The

lads in their hundreds to

Ludlow come

in

for the fair.

There

's

men from

and the

The

mill

the

bam and

and the

lads for the girls

the forge

fold.

and the lads

for

the

liquor are there.

And

there with the rest are the lads that

will

There

's

never be

old.

chaps from the town and the

the

till

and the

And few

the stalwart, and

of

face

and the

heart.

that will carry their looks or their

truth to the grave.

3

and

cart.

And many to count are

many the brave.
And many the handsome
handsome of

field

33

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
I

wish one could know them,

were tokens to

The

fortunate

wish there

tell

fellows

now you can

that

never discern

And then one

could talk with

them

friendly

and wish them farewell

And watch them

depart on the

way

that

they will not return.

But now you may

stare as

you

like

and there 's

nothing to scan

And

brushing your elbow unguessed-at and

not to be told

They

carry

back

bright to the coiner

the

mintage of man.

The

lads

that will die in their glory and

never be

old.

34

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XXIV
Say, lad, have you things to do

Quick then, while your day

Quick, and

Here am

if 't is
I,

work

man

Send me now, and

Call

me,

Use me

I shall

Where

's

I shall

man 's no

Ere the wholesome

me

your time.

go

hear you

ere they lay

at prime.

for two.

now

's

call

low

use at

all

flesh decay.

And the willing nerve be numb.

And the lips lack breath to say,
' No, my lad, I cannot come/

35

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XXV
This time of year a twelvemonth past.

When

Fred and

would meet.

We needs must jangle, till at last

We fought and I was beat.
So then the summer
Till rainy

fields

about.

days began.

Rose Harland on her Sundays out

Walked with the

The

better

ITiough

A lad
Is

better man.

man she walks with still,

now 't is not with Fred

that hves and has his wdll

worth a dozen dead.

Fred keeps the house

And

When

clay

's

all

kinds of weather.

the house he keeps

Rose and

Stock-still lies

I w^alk

out together

Fred and

36

sleeps.

A SHllOPSHIRE LAD

XXVI
Along the

field as

we came by

A year ago, my

love and

The aspen over

stile

Was
'

and stone

talking to itself alone.

Oh, who are these that

A country
Two
And

I,

lover and his lass

lovers looking to

and pass

kiss
;

be wed

time shall put them both to bed.

But she

shall lie

And he

beside another love.'

And

with earth above.

sure enough beneath the tree

There walks another love with me.

And
Its

overhead the aspen heaves

rainy-sounding silver leaves

And

spell

nothing in their

stir.

But now perhaps they speak to her,

37

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
And
They

plain for her to understand

talk about a time at

hand

When I shall sleep with clover

And she beside another lad.

clad.

XXVII
"

Is

my team

That

And

ploughing.

was used to drive

hear the harness jingle

When

was man

alive

Ay, the horses trample.

The

harness jingles

now

No change though you

The land you used
38

lie

under

to plough.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
playing

Is football

'

Along the

river shore.

lads to chase the leather,

With

Now

Ay, the

The

stand up no more

ball

'

flying.

is

lads play heart

and

soul

goal stands up, the keeper

The

Stands up to keep the goal.

Is

my

That

And

happy.

girl
I

thought hard to leave,

has she tired of weeping

As she

Ay, she

She

Your

Be

lies

down

at eve

down lightly.
not down to weep

lies

lies

girl is well
still,

my

contented.

lad,

39

and

sleep.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
'

my
Now

Is

And

friend hearty.
I

am

thin and pine.

has he found to sleep in

better bed than mine

Yes, lad, I

lie

I lie as lads
I

easy,

would choose

cheer a dead man's sweetheart.

Never ask

me

whose.

XXVIII

THE WELSH MARCHES

High the vanes

of Shrewsbury gleam

Islanded in Severn stream

The

bridges from the steepled crest

Cross the water east and west.

40

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
The

flag

of

morn

in conqueror's state

Enters at the English gate

The vanquished

eve, as night prevails,

Bleeds upon the road to Wales.

Ages

since the vanquished bled

Round my mother's man'iage-bed

There the ravens feasted

far

About the open house of war

When

Severn down to Buildwas ran

Coloured with the death of man.

Couched upon her brother's grave

The Saxon got me on the

The sound

of fight

is

slave.

silent

long

That began the ancient wrong

Long the

voice of tears

is still

That wept of old the endless

41

ill.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
In

my

heart

The war
They

On

it

has not died.

that sleeps on Severn side

cease not fighting, east and west.

the marches of

Here the

my

breast.

truceless armies yet

Trample, rolled in blood and sweat

They

And

kill
I

None

and

and never die

kill

think that each

will part us,

The knot

that

is I.

none undo

makes one

flesh of

two.

Sick with hatred, sick with pain.

Strangling

WTien

When

shall I

shall w^e

be

slain ?

be dead and rid

Of the wrong my father did ?

How long, how long, till spade and
Put to sleep

my

mother's curse

42

hearse

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XXIX

THE LENT LILY

'T

IS

spring

The

come out

to ramble

brakes around.

hilly

For under thorn and bramble

About the hollow ground

The

And

primroses are found.

there

With

And

all

there

's

the windflower chilly

the winds at play.

's

the Lenten

lily

That has not long to stay

And
And

since

You

And

dies

on Easter day.

till girls

go maying

find the primrose

still.

find the windflower playing

With every wind

But not the

at will.

daffodil,

43

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Bring baskets now^ and

sally

Upon the spring's array,

And bear from hill and valley
The

daffodil

That

dies

away

on Easter day.

XXX
Others^

Have

am

not the

first.

more mischief than they durst

willed

If in the breathless night I too

Shiver now,

More than

Have

't is

I, if

nothing new.

truth were told,

stood and sweated hot and cold.

And through

their reins in ice

Fear contended with

desire.

44

and

fire

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Agued once
But

I like

like

them

me

were they,

shall

win

my way

Lastly to the bed of mould

Where

there

my

But from

's

neither heat nor cold.

grave across

my brow

Plays no wind of healing now,

And

fire

and

ice within

me

fight

Beneath the suffocating night.

XXXI
On Wenlock Edge

the

wood 's

in trouble

Wrekin heaves

His

forest fleece the

The

gale,

And

thick on Severn snow the leaves.

it

plies the saplings double,

45

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
*T would blow like this through holt and hanger

When

Uricon the city stood

*Tis the old wind in the old anger,

But then

it

threshed another wood.

was before

my

time, the

At yonder heaving

hill

would

Then,

't

The blood

that

The thoughts

Roman

stare

warms an English yeoman.

that hurt him, they were there.

There, like the wind through woods in

Through him the gale of

The

life

blew high

man was never quiet

Then 't was the Roman, now 't is
The

tree of

gale,

it

I.

plies the saplings double.

It blows so hard,

't

will

To-day the Roman and

soon be gone
his trouble

Are ashes under Uricon.

46

riot.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XXXII
From

far,

from eve and morning

And yon
The

twelve-winded sky,

me
am I.

stuff of life to knit

Blew hither

Now for
Nor yet

here

a breath

tarry

disperse apart

Take my hand quick and

What have you

Speak now, and

How

shall

tell

me,

in your heart.

I will

answer

help you, say

Ere to the wind's twelve quarters

1

take

my

endless way.

47

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XXXIII
If truth in hearts that perish

Could move the powers on high,

I

think the love

bear you

Should make you not to

Sure, sure,
If single

if stedfast

die.

meaning,

thought could save.

The world might end to-morrow.

You should not

see the grave.

This long and sure-set liking.

This boundless will to please,

Oh, you should

If there

were help

But now, since

To

live for

ever

in these.

all is idle.

this lost heart

be kind.

Ere to a town you journey

Where

friends are

48

ill

to find.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XXXIV

THE NEW MISTRESS

'

Oe,

I am

sick

me
You may

to

see you, will

you never

let

be ?

good for something but you are not

be

good for me.

Oh, go where you are wanted, for you are not

wanted

And

that was

from

'

here.

I will

all

my

when

the farewell

parted

dear.

go where

am

wanted, to a lady

bom

and bred,

Who

will

me

dress

uniform of red

She

will not
it

I will

free

nothing in a

be sick to see

me

if I

only keep

clean

go where

am wanted

the Queen.
4

for

49

for a soldier of

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
'

I will

go where

am

wanted^ for the sergeant

does not mind

He may

me

be sick to see

but he treats

me

very kind

He

me beer and
for my cap,

gives

And

knew

never

money on
'

I will

go where

room

And

the

for

men

there

a sweetheart spend her

a chap.

am

wanted, where there

to

none too many

for the

work

do

Where the standing

line

the dropping dead

And

's

one or two.

are
is

breakfast and a ribbon

wears thinner and

lie

thick

the enemies of England they shall see

me and

be

sick.*

SO

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XXXV
On

the idle

hill

of summer,

Sleepy with the flow of streams.

Far

hear the steady

Drumming

drummer

like a noise in dreams.

Far and near and low and louder

On
Dear

the roads of earth go by,

to friends

and food

for

powder.

Soldiers marching, all to die.

East and west on

fields

forgotten

Bleach the bones of comrades

Lovely lads and dead and rotten

None
Far the

that go return again.

calling bugles hollo.

High the screaming

Gay the

slain.

files

Woman

fife replies.

of scarlet follow

bore me,

SI

will rise.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XXXVI
White

The moon
White

moon the long

in the

stands blank above

in the

That leads
Still

moon

me

lies.

the long road

from

my

lies

love.

hangs the hedge without a gust,

Stillj still

My

road

feet

the shadoAvs stay:

upon the moonlit dust

Pursue the ceaseless way.

The world

And
Trudge

is

round, so travellers

straight

though reach the track.

on^ trudge on,

The way
But ere the
Far, far

will

WTiite in the

That leads

't

will all

be wellj

guide one back.

homeward

circle

must

tell,

it

remove

moon

me

hies

the long road

from

52

my

love.

lies

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XXXVII
As through the

wild green hills of

The

train ran,

And
Low

far behind, a fading crest.

changing sky and

hand

lay

knee

it

That morning half a

So many an honest

Had

Hand,

From

said

since

I,

fields

lay

shire

away

fellow's

wellnigh wrung

Clee,

my knee.

empty on

my

Aching on

shire.

west

in the forsaken

Sank the high-reared head of

My

Wyre

it

fist

from the

now we

wrist.

part

and men we know by heart.

For strangers*

faces, strangers' lands,

Hand, you have held true

fellows' hands.

Be

you do

clean then

thing they

You and

'd

rot before

not believe of you.

must keep from shame

In London streets the Shropshire

53

name

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
On

banks of Thames they must not say

men than they

Severn breeds worse

And

friends abroad

home they

Friends at

Oh,

When

shall
I

be

stiff

bea.r in

mind

leave behind.

and cold

forget you, hearts of gold

The land where

Is

must

I shall

the land where

mind you not

all 's forgot.

And if my foot returns no more

To Teme nor Corve nor Severn shore.
Luck,

By

my

lads,

falling

be with you

still

stream and standing

hill.

By chiming tower and whispering

Men that made a man of me.
About your work

in

tree,

town and farm

my

head from harm.

Still

you

'11

keep

Still

you

'11

help me, hands that gave

A grasp to

friend

me

54

to the grave.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XXXVIII
The winds

out of the west land blow,

My friends have breathed them there

Warm with the blood of lads I know
Comes
It

east the sighing

fanned their temples,

air.

filled their lungs,

Scattered their forelocks free

My

fi'iends

made words

of

it

with tongues

That talk no more to me.

Their voices, dying as they

fly.

Thick on the wind are sown

The names

My

of

fellows'

men blow
and

Oh lads, at home

my

soundless by,

own.

heard you plain.

But here your speech

is still.

And down the sighing wind

You hollo from the hill.
5S

in vain

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
The wind and
But neither

Now

!_,

we both were

lonff

abode

there.

through the friendless world we fare

And

sigh

upon the

road.

XXXIX
'T

18

time, I think,

by Wenlock town

The golden broom should blow

The hawthorn sprinkled up and down
;

Should charge the land with snow.

Spring will not wait the

Who

loiterer's

keeps so long away

time

So others wear the broom and climb

The hedgerows heaped with may.

56

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Oh

tarnish late

Gold that

on Wenlock Edge,

never see

Lie long, high snowdrifts in the hedge

That

will not

shower on me.

XL
Into

my

heart an air that

From yon

far

kills

country blows

What are those blue remembered hills.

What spires, what farms are those ?

That
I

is

see

the land of lost content,

it

shining plain.

The happy highways where

And

cannot come again.

57

went

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLI
In

my own

Homely
The

shire, if I

comforters

earth, because

Sorrowed

And

was

had

my

sad,

heart was sore,

for the son she bore

standing

hills,

long to remain.

Shared their short-lived comrade's pain.

And bound

On

for the

every road

Trod beside me,

The

beautiful

Whether
I

same bourn

wandered
close

and

as

by,

dear.

and death-struck year

in the

woodland brown

heard the beechnut rustle down.

And saw

the purple crocus pale

Flower about the autumn dale

Or

littering far the fields of

Lady-smocks

I,

May

a-bl caching lay.

And

like a skylit

The

bluebells in the azured wood.

water stood

58

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Yonder, lightening other loads,

The

seasons range the country roads,

But here

in

London

streets

ken

No such helpmates, only men

And these are not in plight to

bear.

If they would, another's care.

They have enough

In

many an eye

The mortal

as

't is

sickness of a
to be kind.

Undone with

miseiy,

all

Is to

hate their fellow

And

till

at

see

that measures

Too unhappy

Look

me

mind

they can

man

they drop they needs must

you and wish you

59

ill.

still

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLII

THE MERRY GUIDE

Once
I

in the

wind of morning

ranged the thymy wold

The world-wide

And

all

air

was azure

the brooks ran gold.

There through the dews beside

Behold a youth that

me

trod.

With feathered cap on forehead.

And

poised a golden rod.

With mien

to

match the morning

And gay delightful guise

And friendly brows and laughter
He looked me in the eyes.
60

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Oh whence, I asked, and whither ?
He smiled and would not say.
And looked at me and beckoned
And laughed and

led the way.

And with kind looks and laughter

And nought to say beside

We
I

two went on together,

and

my happy

guide.

Across the glittering pastures

And empty upland still

And solitude of shepherds
High

in the folded hill.

By hanging woods and hamlets

That gaze through orchards down

On many a windmill turning

And far-discovered town,
6i

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
With gay regards of promise

And sure unslackened stride

And smiles and nothing spoken
Led on my merry

By blowing realms

guide.

of woodland

With sunstruck vanes

And

afield

cloud-led shadows sailing

About the windv weald,

By

valley-guarded granges

And

silver

waters wide,

Content at heart

With

And

my

followed

delightful guide.

like the cloudy

shadows

Across the country blown

We two

fare

on

for ever.

But not we two

62

alone.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
With the great gale we journey
That breathes from gardens thinned,
Borne in the

Whose

drift of

blossoms

petals throng the

wind

Buoyed on the neaven-heard whisper

Of dancing
From

all

leaflets

whirled

the woods that autumn

Bereaves in

all

the world.

And midst the fluttering

Of all that ever died
I follow,

legion

and before us

Goes the delightful guide.

With

lips that

brim with laughter

But never once respond.

And feet that fly on feathers.

And serpent-circled wand.

9
63

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLIII

THE IMMORTAL PART

When
Or
I

lay

hear

meet the morning beam.

me down
my bones

at night to

within

dream,

me say,

'

Another night, another day.

'

When

shall this slough of sense

This dust of thoughts be laid at

The man

And

'

the

be

cast.

last.

of flesh and soul be slain

man

of bone remain

This tongue that talks, these lungs that shout.

These thews that hustle us about.

This brain that

And

its

fills

humming

the skull with schemes,

hive of dreams,

64

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
These to-day are proud in power

And

lord

in their httle

it

hour

The immortal bones obey

Of dying

'

is

flesh

long

till

and dying

control
soul.

eve and morn are gone

Slow the endless night comes on.

And
That

late to fulness

grows the birth

long as earth.

shall last as

Wanderers eastward, wanderers west,

'

Know you why you

'T

is

cannot rest

that every mother's son

Travails with a skeleton.

'

Lie

down

Bear the

in the

bed of dust

fruit that

bear you must

Bring the eternal seed to

And morn
S

is all

light.

the same as night.

65

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
'

Rest you so from trouble sore.

Fear the heat

o'

the sun no more,

Nor the snowing winter

Now
'

you labour not with

Empty

We

wild,

gamient

vessel,

child.

cast.

that wore you long shall

last.

Another night, another day.'

So

my

me

bones wuthin

Therefore they shall do

To-day while

And

flesh

and

am

soul,

say.

my

master

will

still,

now both

are strong,

Shall hale the sullen slaves along,

Before this

fire

of sense decay,

This smoke of thought blow clean away,

And

leave with ancient night alone

The

stedfast

and enduring bone.

66

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLIV
Shot ?

Oh

so quick, so clean an ending

that was right, lad, that was brave

Yours was not an

ill

for

'T was best to take

Oh

it

mending,
to the grave.

you had forethought, you could reason,

And saw your road and where it led,

And early wise and brave in season
Put the

Oh

soon,

pistol to

your head.

and better so than

later

After long disgrace and scorn.

You

shot dead the household traitor.

The

soul that should not have

67

been bom.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Right you guessed the rising morrow

And
Dust

's

scorned to tread the mire you must

your wages^ son of sorrow.

But men may come

to worse than dust.

Souls undone, undoing others,

Long time

since the tale began.

You would not

Oh
Now

lad,

live to

you died

as

wrong your brothers

fits

a man.

to your grave shall friend

and stranger

With ruth and some with envy come

Undishonoured, clear of danger.

Clean of

Turn

guilt, pass

safe to rest,

hence and home.

no dreams, no waking

And here, man, here 's the -vn-eath I

'T

is

not a

gift that

But wear

it

and

's

it

've

w^orth the taking.

will not fade.

68

made

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
XLV
If

it

chance your eye offend you,

Pluck

it

out, lad,

and be sound

'T will hurt, but here are salves to friend you.

And many
And

if

Cut

a balsam grows on ground.

your hand or foot offend you,

it off,

lad,

and be whole

But play the man, stand up and end you.

When

your sickness

is

your

soul.

XLVI
Bring, in this timeless grave to throw.

No

cypress,

sombre on the snow

Snap not from the

His leaves that

bitter

live

yew

December through

Break no rosemary, bright with rime

And

sparkling to the cruel clime

69

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Nor plod the winter land

to look

For willows in the icy brook

round him

To

cast

No

spray that ever buds in spring.

But

Awns
Or

them

if

leafless

the Christmas

the

last

shrivelled flax,

if

brine

has kept

gleaner overstept,

whose flower

single season, never

Or

field

is

blue

two

one haulm whose year

is

o'er

Shivers on the upland frore,

Oh, bring from

Whatever

To

give

hill

and stream and plam

will not flower again,

him comfort

he and those

Shall bide eternal bedfellows

Where low upon the couch he

Whence he never

shall arise.

70

lies

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLVII

THE CARPENTER'S SON

'

Here

Now

the

hangman

the best of friends must part.

Fare you well, for

Live, lads,

Oh,

at

and

Had

'

fare I

ill

will die.

home had

'Prenticed to

stops his cart

my

but stayed

father's trade.

stuck to plane and adze,

had not been

Then

lost,

my

lads.

might have built perhaps

Gallows-trees for other chaps.

Never dangled on

Had

but

left

ill

my

own.

alone.

71

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
*

Now, you

And

see,

they hang

'

'tis

come from

Here hang

Two

I,

fists

ill

and curse

to worse.

and right and

's

the luck

we

Though the midmost hangs

Comrades

all,

my

prove.
for love.

in other

ways

neck and save your own

Comrades
'

left

that stand and gaze,

Walk henceforth
See

poor fellows hang for theft

All the same

'

high.

the people passing by

Stop to shake their

So

me

all,

leave

Make some day

ill

alone.

a decent end,

Shrewder fellows than your

Fare you well, for
Live, lads,

and

ill

fare

I will die.'

72

friend.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLVIII
Be

ray soul^ be

stillj

still

the arms you bear

are brittle.

Earth and high heaven are

fixt

of old and

founded strong.

Think

rather,

grieve a

call

to thought, if

now you

soul, for

little.

The days when we had

rest,

they were long.

Men

loved unkindness then, but lightless in

the quarry
I

slept

and saw not

tears fell

down,

did

not mourn

Sweat ran and blood sprang out and

never sorry

Then

it

was

was well with me, in days ere

bom.
73

was

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Now, and

muse

for

why and never

find the

reason,
I

pace the earth, and drink the

air,

and

feel

the sun.

Be

be

still,

my

still,

season

soul

is

it

but for a

Let us endure an hour and see

injustice

done.

Ay, look

high heaven and earth

prime foundation

ail

from the

All thoughts to rive the heart are here,

all

are vain

Horror and scorn

indignation

Oh why

did

again

and

and hate

and

fear

and

awake

74

when

shall I sleep

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

XLIX
Think no more,

Why

should

lad

laugh, be jolly

men make

haste to die

Empty heads and tongues a-talking

Make the rough road easy walking,
A.nd the feather pate of folly

Bears the falling sky.

Oh,

'tis jesting,

dancing, drinking

Spins the heavy world around.

If

young hearts were not

Oh, they would be young

Think no more

't is

75

so clever.
for ever

only thinking

Lays lads underground.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

Clunton and Clunbury,

Clungunford and Clun,

Are

the quietest places

Under

the sun.

In valleys of springs of rivers,

By Ony and Teme and

The country
The

We

Clun,

for easy livers,

quietest under the sun.

still

had sorrows to lighten,

One could not be always glad.

And lads knew trouble at Knighton

When

By

was a Knighton

bridges that

lad.

Thames runs under.

In London, the town built

'T

is

sure small matter for

If sorrow

is

with one

76

ill,

wonder

still.

A SHROPSHlllE LAD
And

if as

The

He

a lad grows older

troubles he bears are more.

carries his griefs

on a shoulder

That handselled them long

Where

shall

before.

one halt to deliver

This luggage

I 'd lief

Not Thames, not Teme

set
is

down ?

the

river,

Nor London nor Knighton the town

'T

is

a long

way

further than Knighton,

A quieter place than

Clun,

Where doomsday may thunder and lighten

And

little 't ^vill

matter to one.

77

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
LI
Loitering with a vacant eye

Along the Grecian

And
I

brooding on

met a

Still in

And
'

gallery,

my

heavy

statue standing

ill,

still.

marble stone stood he.

stedfastly

Well met,'

he looked at me.

thought the look would say,

We both were fashioned far away

We neither knew, when we were young.

'

These Londoners we

Still

An
'

live

he stood and eyed

among.'

me

hard,

earnest and a grave regard

What,

lad,

drooping with your

am

too would be

too sui-vey that endless line

where

Of men whose thoughts

lot

not.

are not as mine.

Years, ere you stood up from rest.

On my

neck the

collar prest

78

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Years when you lay down your
I

shall stand

and bear

Courage, lad,

't is

ill,

it still.

not for long

Stand, quit you like stone, be strong.'

So

And
And

thought
light
I

on

his look

would say

me my

trouble lay.

stept out in flesh and bone

Manful

like the

man

of stone.

LII

Far

in a western brookland

me

That bred

The

long ago

poplars stand and tremble

By

pools

used to know.

There, in the windless night-time,

The wanderer, marvelling why,

Halts on the bridge to hearken

How

soft

the poplars sigh.

79

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
He

hears

long since forgotten

In fields where

Here

I lie

And

down

in

was known,

London

turn to rest alone.

There, by the

starlit fences.

The wanderer

My

halts

and hears

soul that lingers sighing

About the glimmering

weirs.

LIII

THE TRUE LOVER

The

lad

came

to the door at night,

When lovers crown their vows.

And whistled soft and out of sight
In shadow of the boughs.

80

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Henceforth,

So take

me

my

When

I shall

And you
I

face

aye

love, for

arms a space

in your

Before the east

'

my

not vex you with

I shall

'

is

grey.

from hence away

am

past

not find a bride.

shall

be the

first

and

last

eier lay beside.'

She heard and went and knew not why

Her

heart to his she laid

Light was the

air

beneath the sky

But dark under the shade.

Oh

do you breathe,

Seems not

And

to rise

here upon

lad, that

and

fall.

my bosom

There beats no heart at

6

8i

your breast

prest
*

all ?

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
'

Oh

my

loud^

girl, it

You should have

But since
It

'

Oh

for

you

once would knock,

felt it

then

stopped the clock

never goes again.'

lad,

what

is it,

lad, that diips

Wet from your neck on mine

What is it falling on my lips,

My lad,
'

Oh

like

that tastes of brine

enough

't is

blood,

For when the knife has

The

my

dear.

slit

throat across from ear to ear

*T will bleed because of

Under the

stars the air

it.*

was

light

But dark below the boughs.

The

still air

When

of the speechless night.

lovers

crown their vows.

S3

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
LIV
With

rue

my

heart

For golden friends

For many a

rose-lipt

And many

laden

is

had.

maiden

a lightfoot lad.

By brooks too broad for leaping

The lightfoot boys are laid
;

The

rose-lipt girls are sleeping

In

fields

where

roses fade.

LV
Westward on the

Where
Still, I

for

me

think, in

high-hilled plains

the world began.

newer veins

Frets the changeless

33

bbod

of man.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Now

that other lads than

Strip to bathe on Severn shore,

They, no help,

for all

Tread the mill

There,

And

when

they

try.

trod before.

hueless

is

the west

the darkness hushes wide.

Where the

lad lies

down

to rest

Stands the troubled dream beside.

There, on thoughts that once were mine.

Day

And

looks dovvn the eastern steep,

the youth at morning shine

Makes the vow he

84

will not keep.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

LVI

THE DAY OF BATTLE

Far

'

To

hear the bugle blow

call

And

me where

would not go.

the guns begin the song,

Soldier,

'

fly

Comrade,

if

or stay for long."

to turn

and

fly

Made

a soldier never die.

Fly

would, for

who would not ?

shot.
'T is sure no pleasure to be

*But since the

man

that runs

away

Lives to die another day.

And

cowards' funerals,

Are not wept

when they come,

so well at

85

home,

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
'

Therefore, though the best

Stand and do the

Stand and

And

my

best,

lad

and see your

fight

bad,

is

slain.

take the bullet in your brain,*

LVII

You

smile upon your friend to-day,

To-day

his

You hearken

And happy

'T

is

ills

are over

to the lover's say,

is

the lover.

late to hearken, late to smile.

But better
I shall

late than

have lived a

Before

never

little

die for ever.

86

while

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
LVIII

When

came

last to

Ludlow

Amidst the moonlight

pale.

Two friends kept step beside me.

Two honest lads and hale.

Now

Dick

lies

long in the churchyard

And Ned lies long in jail.

And I come home to Ludlow
Amidst the moonlight

pale.

LIX

THE
The

ISLE OF

star-filled seas are

From France

to

PORTLAND
smooth to-night

England strown

Black towers above the Portland light

The

felon-quarried stone.

87

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
On

yonder

island^ not to rise.

Never to

stir forth free.

Far from his folk a dead lad

lies

That once was friends with me.

Lie you easy, dream you light.

And sleep you fast

And luckier may you

for

aye

find the night

Than ever you found the

day.

9
LX
Now

hollow

And

fires

burn out to black,

lights are guttering

Square your shoulders,

And

lift

low

your pack.

leave your friends and go.

8S

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Oh

never

fear,

Look not
In

all

man, nought

left

's

to dread,

nor right

the endless road you tread

There

's

nothing but the night.

LXI

HUGH LEY STEEPLE

The vane on Hughley

steeple

Veers bright, a far-known sign.

And there lie Hughley people.

And there lie friends of mine.
Tall in their midst the tower

Divides the shade and sun.

And the clock strikes the hour

And tells the time to none.
89

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
To

south the headstones cluster.

The sunny mounds he

The dead

are

more

in

thick

muster

At Hughley than the

quick.

North, for a soon-told number,

Chill graves the sexton delves,

And

steeple-shadowed slumber

The

To

slayers of themselves.

north, to south,

lie

parted.

With Hughley tower above.

The

kind, the single-hearted.

The

lads I used to love.

And, south or north,

A choice
And

I shall

't is

only

of friends one knows.

ne'er be lonely

Asleep with these or those.

90

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
LXII
'

Terence,

You

this is stupid stuff

eat your victuals fast

enough

There can't be much amiss,

To

't is

clear.

see the rate you drink your beer.

But oh, good Lord, the verse you make.

It gives

a chap the belly-ache.

The cow, the

old cow, she

is

dead

It sleeps well,

the horned head

We

't is

To

poor lads,

our turn

now

hear such tunes as killed the cow.

Pretty friendship

Your

't is

to

rhyme

friends to death before their time

Moping melancholy mad

Come, pipe a tune to dance

Why,
There

's

if 't is

to, lad.*

dancing you would be.

brisker pipes than poetry.

Say, for what were hop-yards meant.

Or why was Burton

91

built

on Trent

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
Oh many

a peer of England brews

Livelier liquor than the Muse,

And malt
To justify

does more than Milton can

God's ways to man.

Ale, man, ale

For fellows

Look

To

's

the stuff to drink

whom

hurts to think:

it

into the pewter pot

see the world as the world

And

faith,

't is

The mischief

is

pleasant
that

't

not.

's

till 't is

past

will not last.

Oh I have been to Ludlow fair

And left mv necktie God knows where.
And carried half way home, or near,
Pints and quarts of

Ludlow beer

Then the world seemed none

And I myself a sterling lad

And down in lovely muck 1
Happy till I woke again.
Then

so bad,

've lain,

saw the morning sky

Heigho, the tale was

92

all

lie

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
The
I

world,

was

I,

And

it

my

was the old world

yet,

things were wet,

now remained

nothing

do

to

But begin the game anew.

Therefore, since the world has

still

Much good, but much less good than

And while the sun and moon endure
Luck
I 'd

a chance, but trouble

's

face

And

it

as a wise

train for

ill

and not

'Tis true, the stuff

Is

for good.

bring for sale

it

But take

The

it

in a
:

if

weary

hand

land.

the smack

is

sour,

better for the embittered hour

It should

When
And

a stem that scored the

wrung

sure,

would.

not so brisk a brew as ale

Out of
I

man

's

do good to heart and head

your soul

I will

is

in

my

friend you, if

soul's stead
I

may.

In the dark and cloudy day.

93

ill.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
There was a king reigned
There,

when kings

Thej get

their

fill

in the East

will sit to feast,

before they think

With poisoned meat and poisoned

He

gathered

all

that springs to birth

From the many-venoraed

sampled

And

all

her killing store

easy, smiling, seasoned sound.

Sate the king

They put

And

when

healths

arsenic in his

went round.

meat

stared aghast to watch

They poured strychnine

And

earth

thence to more.

First a little,

He

him

shook to see him drink

Them

it

I tell

eat

cup

in his

up

it

They shook, they stared as white

drink.

's

their shirt

was their poison hurt.

the tale that

heard

Mithridates, he died old.

94

told.

A SHROPSHIRE LAD

LXIII
I

HOED and trenched and weeded.

And
I

took the

ers to fair

flo,

brought them home unheeded

The hue was not the

So up and down
For lads hke

When

sow them

me

I shall lie

wear.

to find.

below them,

dead man out of mind.

Some

seeds the birds devour.

And some

the season mars.

But here and there

The

will flower

solitary stars,

95

A SHROPSHIRE LAD
And
As

And

fields will

yearly bear

them

light-leaved spring comes on,

luckless lads will

When

wear them

am dead and

The End

gone.

PR
4.809

Housman, Alfred Edward

A Shropshire lad

H15A7
1917

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