| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| Spring Song in the City |
| | | Cosmo Monkhouse (b. 1840) |
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| WHO remains in London, | |
| In the streets with me, | |
| Now that Spring is blowing | |
| Warm winds from the sea; | |
| Now that trees grow green and tall, | 5 |
| Now the sun shines mellow, | |
| And with moist primroses all | |
| English lanes are yellow? | |
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| Little barefoot maiden, | |
| Selling violets blue, | 10 |
| Hast thou ever pictur’d | |
| Where the sweetlings grew? | |
| Oh, the warm wild woodland ways, | |
| Deep in dewy grasses, | |
| Where the windblown shadow strays, | 15 |
| Scented as it passes! | |
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| Pedlar breathing deeply, | |
| Toiling into town, | |
| With the dusty highway | |
| You are dusky brown; | 20 |
| Hast thou seen by daisied leas, | |
| And by rivers flowing, | |
| Lilac-ringlets which the breeze | |
| Loosens lightly blowing? | |
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| Out of yonder wagon | 25 |
| Pleasant hay-scents float, | |
| He who drives it carries | |
| A daisy in his coat: | |
| Oh, the English meadows, fair | |
| Far beyond all praises! | 30 |
| Freckled orchids everywhere | |
| Mid the snow of daisies! | |
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| Now in busy silence | |
| Broods the nightingale, | |
| Choosing his love’s dwelling | 35 |
| In a dimpled dale; | |
| Round the leafy bower they raise | |
| Rose-trees wild are springing; | |
| Underneath, thro’ the green haze, | |
| Bounds the brooklet singing. | 40 |
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| And his love is silent | |
| As a bird can be, | |
| For the red buds only | |
| Fill the red rose-tree; | |
| Just as buds and blossoms blow | 45 |
| He ’ll begin his tune, | |
| When all is green and roses glow | |
| Underneath the moon. | |
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| Nowhere in the valleys | |
| Will the wind be still, | 50 |
| Everything is waving, | |
| Wagging at his will: | |
| Blows the milkmaid’s kirtle clean, | |
| With her hand press’d on it; | |
| Lightly o’er the hedge so green | 55 |
| Blows the ploughboy’s bonnet. | |
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| Oh, to be a roaming | |
| In an English dell! | |
| Every nook is wealthy, | |
| All the world looks well, | 60 |
| Tinted soft the Heavens glow, | |
| Over Earth and Ocean, | |
| Waters flow, breezes blow, | |
| All is light and motion! | |
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