Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/989

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

GEORGE MEREDITH

God' of whom music And song and blood are pure, The day is never darkened That had thee here obscure.

��Water, first of singers, o'er rocky mount and mead,

First of earthly singers, the sun-loved rill, Sang of him, and flooded the ripples on the reed,

Seeking whom to waken and what ear fill. Water, sweetest soother to kiss a wound and cool,

Sweetest and divmest, the sky-born brook, Chuckled, with a whimper, and made a mirror-pool Round the guest we welcomed, the strange hand shook. God' of whom music And song and blood are pure, The day is never darkened That had thce here obscure.

��Many swarms of wild bees descended on our fields: Stately stood the wheatstalk with head bent high: Big of heart we labour'd at storing mighty yields, Hand-like rush'd the vintage, we strung the bellied skins

Plump, and at the sealing the Youth's voice rose: Maidens clung in circle, on little fists their chins; Gentle bcasties through push'd a cold long nose. God' of whom music And song and blood are pure, The day is never darkened That had thee here obscure.

�� �