Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume V. Nature. 1904. | | | | II. Light: Day: Night | | Morning | | James Beattie (1735–1803) |
| | From “The Minstrel”
BUT who the melodies of morn can tell? | |
| The wild brook babbling down the mountainside; | |
| The lowing herd; the sheepfold’s simple bell; | |
| The pipe of early shepherd dim descried | |
| In the lone valley; echoing far and wide | 5 |
| The clamorous horn along the cliffs above; | |
| The hollow murmur of the ocean-tide; | |
| The hum of bees, the linnet’s lay of love, | |
| And the full choir that wakes the universal grove. | |
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| The cottage curs at early pilgrim bark; | 10 |
| Crowned with her pail the tripping milkmaid sings; | |
| The whistling ploughman stalks afield; and, hark! | |
| Down the rough slope the ponderous wagon rings; | |
| Through rustling corn the hare astonished springs; | |
| Slow tolls the village-clock the drowsy hour; | 15 |
| The partridge bursts away, on whirring wings; | |
| Deep mourns the turtle in sequestered bower, | |
| And shrill lark carols clear from her aerial tower. | | | | |
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