| Arthur Quiller-Couch, comp. The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse. 1922. | | | | The Bridge | | By James Thomson (1834–1882) |
| | | ‘O, WHAT are you waiting for here, young man? | |
| What are you looking for over the bridge?’ | |
| A little straw hat with the streaming blue ribbons | |
| Is soon to come dancing over the bridge. | |
| |
| Her heart beats the measure that keeps her feet dancing, | 5 |
| Dancing along like a wave o’ the sea; | |
| Her heart pours the sunshine with which her eyes glancing | |
| Light up strange faces in looking for me. | |
| |
| The strange faces brighten in meeting her glances; | |
| The strangers all bless her, pure, lovely, and free: | 10 |
| She fancies she walks, but her walk skips and dances, | |
| Her heart makes such music in coming to me. | |
| |
| O, thousands and thousands of happy young maidens | |
| Are tripping this morning their sweethearts to see; | |
| But none whose heart beats to a sweeter love-cadence | 15 |
| Than hers who will brighten the sunshine for me. | |
| |
| ‘O, what are you waiting for here, young man? | |
| What are you looking for over the bridge?’ | |
| A little straw hat with the streaming blue ribbons; | |
| —And here it comes dancing over the bridge! | 20 | | | |
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