| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | October 25 | | Chaucer | | By Craven Langstroth Betts (1853–1941) |
| | (Died October 25, 1400)
THE HEART of Merrie England sang in thee, | |
| Dan Chaucer, blithest of the sons of Morn! | |
| How from that dim and mellow distance borne | |
| Come floating down thy measures pure and free, | |
| Minstrel of Pilgrim pleasaunce! Pagentry, | 5 |
| And Revel, blowing from his drinking-horn | |
| The froth of malt, and Love that dwells forlorn— | |
| England shall live in these that live through thee! | |
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| Thine is the jocund Springtime;—winsome May, | |
| Crowned with her daisies, wooed thee, clerkly wight! | 10 |
| The breath of pastoral cheer is in thy lay, | |
| And in thy graver verse thy nation’s might. | |
| O, Pan-pipe, blown at England’s break of day, | |
| Re-echo through her noon thy clear delight! | | | | |
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