Chapter 2

A loaf for her at Stirling, A scone at Carlisle, Honeyed cakes at Edinbro'-- That shall make her smile.

At Aberdeen clear cider, Mead for her at Nairn, A cup of wine at John o' Groats-- That shall please my bairn.

Sing baloo loo for Jenny, Mother will be fain To see her little truant child Riding home again.

HAWK AND BUCKLE.

Where is the landlord of old Hawk and Buckle, And what of Master Straddler this hot summer weather? He's along in the tap-room with broad cheeks a-chuckle, And ten bold companions all drinking together.

Where is the daughter of old Hawk and Buckle, And what of Mistress Jenny this hot summer weather? She sits in the parlour with smell of honeysuckle, Trimming her bonnet with red ostrich feather.

Where is the ostler of old Hawk and Buckle, And what of Willy Jakeman this hot summer weather? He is rubbing his eyes with a slow and lazy knuckle As he wakes from his nap on a bank of fresh heather.

Where is the page boy of old Hawk and Buckle, And what of our young Charlie this hot summer weather? He is bobbing for tiddlers in a little trickle-truckle, With his line and his hook and his breeches of leather.

Where is the grey goat of old Hawk and Buckle, And what of pretty Nanny this hot summer weather? She stays not contented with little or with muckle, Straining for daisies at the end of her tether.

For this is our motto at old Hawk and Buckle, We cling to it close and we sing all together, "Every man for himself at our old Hawk and Buckle, And devil take the hindmost this hot summer weather."

THE "ALICE JEAN".

One moonlit night a ship drove in, A ghost ship from the west, Drifting with bare mast and lone tiller, Like a mermaid drest In long green weed and barnacles: She beached and came to rest.

All the watchers of the coast Flocked to view the sight, Men and women streaming down Through the summer night, Found her standing tall and ragged Beached in the moonlight.

Then one old woman looked and wept "The 'Alice Jean'? But no! The ship that took my Dick from me Sixty years ago Drifted back from the utmost west With the ocean's flow?

"Caught and caged in the weedy pool Beyond the western brink, Where crewless vessels lie and rot in waters black as ink. Torn out again by a sudden storm Is it the 'Jean', you think?"

A hundred women stared agape, The menfolk nudged and laughed, But none could find a likelier story For the strange craft. With fear and death and desolation Rigged fore and aft.

The blind ship came forgotten home To all but one of these Of whom none dared to climb aboard her: And by and by the breeze Sprang to a storm and the "Alice Jean" Foundered in frothy seas.

THE CUPBOARD.

Mother

What's in that cupboard, Mary?

Mary

Which cupboard, mother dear?

Mother

The cupboard of red mahogany With handles shining clear.

Mary

That cupboard, dearest mother, With shining crystal handles? There's nought inside but rags and jags And yellow tallow candles.

Mother

What's in that cupboard, Mary?

Mary

Which cupboard, mother mine?

Mother

That cupboard stands in your sunny chamber, The silver corners shine.

Mary

There's nothing there inside, mother, But wool and thread and flax, And bits of faded silk and velvet, And candles of white wax.

Mother

What's in that cupboard, Mary? And this time tell me true.

Mary

White clothes for an unborn baby, mother, But what's the truth to you?

THE BEACON.

The silent shepherdess, She of my vows, Here with me exchanging love Under dim boughs.

Shines on our mysteries A sudden spark-- "Dout the candle, glow-worm, Let all be dark.

"The birds have sung their last notes, The Sun's to bed, Glow-worm, dout your candle." The glow-worm said:

"I also am a lover; The lamp I display Is beacon for my true love Wandering astray.

"Through the thick bushes And the grass comes she With a heartload of longing And love for me.

"Sir, enjoy your fancy, But spare me harm, A lover is a lover, Though but a worm."

POT AND KETTLE.

Come close to me, dear Annie, while I bind a lover's knot. A tale of burning love between a kettle and a pot. The pot was stalwart iron and the kettle trusty tin, And though their sides were black with smoke they bubbled love within.

Forget that kettle, Jamie, and that pot of boiling broth, I know a dismal story of a candle and a moth. For while your pot is boiling and while your kettle sings My moth makes love to candle flame and burns away his wings.

Your moth, I envy, Annie, that died by candle flame, But here are two more lovers, unto no damage came. There was a cuckoo loved a clock and found her always true. For every hour they told their hearts, "Ring! ting! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"

As the pot boiled for the kettle, as the kettle for the pot, So boils my love within me till my breast is glowing hot. As the moth died for the candle, so could I die for you. And my fond heart beats time with yours and cries, "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"

GHOST RADDLED.

"Come, surly fellow, come! A song!" What, madmen? Sing to you? Choose from the clouded tales of wrong And terror I bring to you.

Of a night so torn with cries, Honest men sleeping Start awake with glaring eyes, Bone-chilled, flesh creeping.

Of spirits in the web hung room Up above the stable, Groans, knockings in the gloom, The dancing table.

Of demons in the dry well That cheep and mutter, Clanging of an unseen bell, Blood choking the gutter.

Of lust frightful, past belief, Lurking unforgotten, Unrestrainable endless grief From breasts long rotten.

A song? What laughter or what song Can this house remember? Do flowers and butterflies belong To a blind December?

NEGLECTFUL EDWARD.

Nancy

"Edward back from the Indian Sea, What have you brought for Nancy?"

Edward

"A rope of pearls and a gold earring, And a bird of the East that will not sing. A carven tooth, a box with a key--"

Nancy

"God be praised you are back," says she, "Have you nothing more for your Nancy?"

Edward

"Long as I sailed the Indian Sea I gathered all for your fancy: Toys and silk and jewels I bring, And a bird of the East that will not sing: What more can you want, dear girl, from me?"

Nancy

"God be praised you are back," said she, "Have you nothing better for Nancy?"

Edward

"Safe and home from the Indian Sea, And nothing to take your fancy?"

Nancy

"You can keep your pearls and your gold earring, And your bird of the East that will not sing, But, Ned, have you nothing more for me Than heathenish gew-gaw toys?" says she, "Have you nothing better for Nancy?"

THE WELL-DRESSED CHILDREN.

Here's flowery taffeta for Mary's new gown: Here's black velvet, all the rage, for Dick's birthday coat. Pearly buttons for you, Mary, all the way down, Lace ruffles, Dick, for you; you'll be a man of note.

Mary, here I've bought you a green gingham shade And a silk purse brocaded with roses gold and blue, You'll learn to hold them proudly like colours on parade. No banker's wife in all the town half so grand as you.

I've bought for young Diccon a long walking-stick, Yellow gloves, well tanned, at Woodstock village made. I'll teach you to flourish 'em and show your name is DICK, Strutting by your sister's side with the same parade.

On Sunday to church you go, each with a book of prayer: Then up the street and down the aisles, everywhere you'll see Of all the honours paid around, how small is Virtue's share. How large the share of Vulgar Pride in peacock finery.

THUNDER AT NIGHT.

Restless and hot two children lay Plagued with uneasy dreams, Each wandered lonely through false day A twilight torn with screams.

True to the bed-time story, Ben Pursued his wounded bear, Ann dreamed of chattering monkey men, Of snakes twined in her hair...

Now high aloft above the town The thick clouds gather and break, A flash, a roar, and rain drives down: Aghast the young things wake.

Trembling for what their terror was, Surprised by instant doom, With lightning in the looking glass, Thunder that rocks the room.

The monkeys' paws patter again, Snakes hiss and flash their eyes: The bear roars out in hideous pain: Ann prays: her brother cries.

They cannot guess, could not be told How soon comes careless day, With birds and dandelion gold, Wet grass, cool scents of May.

TO E.M.--A BALLAD OF NURSERY RHYME.

Strawberries that in gardens grow Are plump and juicy fine, But sweeter far as wise men know Spring from the woodland vine.

No need for bowl or silver spoon, Sugar or spice or cream, Has the wild berry plucked in June Beside the trickling stream.

One such to melt at the tongue's root, Confounding taste with scent, Beats a full peck of garden fruit: Which points my argument.

May sudden justice overtake And snap the froward pen, That old and palsied poets shake Against the minds of men.

Blasphemers trusting to hold caught In far-flung webs of ink, The utmost ends of human thought Till nothing's left to think.

But may the gift of heavenly peace And glory for all time Keep the boy Tom who tending geese First made the nursery rhyme.

By the brookside one August day, Using the sun for clock, Tom whiled the languid hours away Beside his scattering flock.

Carving with a sharp pointed stone On a broad slab of slate The famous lives of Jumping Joan, Dan Fox and Greedy Kate.

Rhyming of wolves and bears and birds, Spain, Scotland, Babylon, That sister Kate might learn the words To tell to toddling John.

But Kate who could not stay content To learn her lesson pat New beauty to the rough lines lent By changing this or that.

And she herself set fresh things down In corners of her slate, Of lambs and lanes and London town. God's blessing fall on Kate!

The baby loved the simple sound, With jolly glee he shook, And soon the lines grew smooth and round Like pebbles in Tom's brook.

From mouth to mouth told and retold By children sprawled at ease, Before the fire in winter's cold, in June, beneath tall trees.

Till though long lost are stone and slate, Though the brook no more runs, And dead long time are Tom, John, Kate, Their sons and their sons' sons.

Yet as when Time with stealthy tread Lays the rich garden waste The woodland berry ripe and red Fails not in scent or taste,

So these same rhymes shall still be told To children yet unborn, While false philosophy growing old Fades and is killed by scorn.

JANE.

As Jane walked out below the hill, She saw an old man standing still, His eyes in tranced sorrow bound On the broad stretch of barren ground.

His limbs were knarled like aged trees, His thin beard wrapt about his knees, His visage broad and parchment white, Aglint with pale reflected light.

He seemed a creature fall'n afar From some dim planet or faint star. Jane scanned him very close, and soon Cried, "'Tis the old man from the moon."

He raised his voice, a grating creak, But only to himself would speak. Groaning with tears in piteous pain, "O! O! would I were home again."

Then Jane ran off, quick as she could, To cheer his heart with drink and food. But ah, too late came ale and bread, She found the poor soul stretched stone-dead. And a new moon rode overhead.

VAIN AND CARELESS.

Lady, lovely lady, Careless and gay! Once when a beggar called She gave her child away.

The beggar took the baby, Wrapped it in a shawl, "Bring her back," the lady said, "Next time you call."

Hard by lived a vain man, So vain and so proud, He walked on stilts To be seen by the crowd.

Up above the chimney pots, Tall as a mast, And all the people ran about Shouting till he passed.

"A splendid match surely," Neighbours saw it plain, "Although she is so careless, Although he is so vain."

But the lady played bobcherry, Did not see or care, As the vain man went by her Aloft in the air.

This gentle-born couple Lived and died apart. Water will not mix with oil, Nor vain with careless heart.

NINE O'CLOCK.

I.

Nine of the clock, oh! Wake my lazy head! Your shoes of red morocco, Your silk bed-gown: Rouse, rouse, speck-eyed Mary In your high bed! A yawn, a smile, sleepy-starey, Mary climbs down. "Good-morning to my brothers, Good-day to the Sun, Halloo, halloo to the lily-white sheep That up the mountain run."

II.

Good-night to the meadow, farewell to the nine o'clock Sun, "He loves me not, loves me, he loves me not" (O jealous one!) "He loves me, he loves me not, loves me"--O soft nights of June, A bird sang for love on the cherry-bough: up swam the Moon.

THE PICTURE BOOK.

When I was not quite five years old I first saw the blue picture book, And Fraulein Spitzenburger told Stories that sent me hot and cold; I loathed it, yet I had to look: It was a German book.

I smiled at first, for she'd begun With a back-garden broad and green, And rabbits nibbling there: page one Turned; and the gardener fired his gun From the low hedge: he lay unseen Behind: oh, it was mean!

They're hurt, they can't escape, and so He stuffs them head-down in a sack, Not quite dead, wriggling in a row, And Fraulein laughed, "Ho, ho! Ho, ho!" And gave my middle a hard smack, I wish that I'd hit back.

Then when I cried she laughed again; On the next page was a dead boy Murdered by robbers in a lane; His clothes were red with a big stain Of blood, he held a broken toy, The poor, poor little boy!

I had to look: there was a town Burning where every one got caught, Then a fish pulled a nigger down Into the lake and made him drown, And a man killed his friend; they fought For money, Fraulein thought.

Old Fraulein laughed, a horrid noise. "Ho, ho!" Then she explained it all How robbers kill the little boys And torture them and break their toys. Robbers are always big and tall: I cried: I was so small.

How a man often kills his wife, How every one dies in the end By fire, or water or a knife. If you're not careful in this life, Even if you can trust your friend, You won't have long to spend.

I hated it--old Fraulein picked Her teeth, slowly explaining it. I had to listen, Fraulein licked Her fingers several times and flicked The pages over; in a fit Of rage I spat at it...

And lying in my bed that night Hungry, tired out with sobs, I found A stretch of barren years in sight, Where right is wrong, but strength is right, Where weak things must creep underground, And I could not sleep sound.

THE PROMISED LULLABY.

Can I find True-Love a gift In this dark hour to restore her, When body's vessel breaks adrift, When hope and beauty fade before her? But in this plight I cannot think Of song or music, that would grieve her, Or toys or meat or snow-cooled drink; Not this way can her sadness leave her. She lies and frets in childish fever, All I can do is but to cry "Sleep, sleep, True-Love and lullaby!"

Lullaby, and sleep again. Two bright eyes through the window stare, A nose is flattened on the pane And infant fingers fumble there. "Not yet, not yet, you lovely thing, But count and come nine weeks from now, When winter's tail has lost the sting, When buds come striking through the bough, Then here's True-Love will show you how Her name she won, will hush your cry With "Sleep, my baby! Lullaby!"

RETROSPECT

HAUNTED.

Gulp down your wine, old friends of mine, Roar through the darkness, stamp and sing And lay ghost hands on everything, But leave the noonday's warm sunshine To living lads for mirth and wine.

I met you suddenly down the street, Strangers assume your phantom faces, You grin at me from daylight places, Dead, long dead, I'm ashamed to greet Dead men down the morning street.

RETROSPECT: THE JESTS OF THE CLOCK.

He had met hours of the clock he never guessed before-- Dumb, dragging, mirthless hours confused with dreams and fear, Bone-chilling, hungry hours when the gods sleep and snore, Bequeathing earth and heaven to ghosts, and will not hear, And will not hear man groan chained to the sodden ground, Rotting alive; in feather beds they slumbered sound.

When noisome smells of day were sicklied by cold night, When sentries froze and muttered; when beyond the wire Blank shadows crawled and tumbled, shaking, tricking the sight, When impotent hatred of Life stifled desire, Then soared the sudden rocket, broke in blanching showers. O lagging watch! O dawn! O hope-forsaken hours!

How often with numbed heart, stale lips, venting his rage He swore he'd be a dolt, a traitor, a damned fool, If, when the guns stopped, ever again from youth to age He broke the early-rising, early-sleeping rule. No, though more bestial enemies roused a fouler war Never again would he bear this, no never more!

"Rise with the cheerful sun, go to bed with the same, Work in your field or kailyard all the shining day, But," he said, "never more in quest of wealth, honour, fame, Search the small hours of night before the East goes grey. A healthy mind, a honest heart, a wise man leaves Those ugly impious times to ghosts, devils, soldiers, thieves."

Poor fool, knowing too well deep in his heart That he'll be ready again if urgent orders come, To quit his rye and cabbages, kiss his wife and part At the first sullen rapping of the awakened drum, Ready once more to sweat with fear and brace for the shock, To greet beneath a falling flare the jests of the clock.

HERE THEY LIE.

Here they lie who once learned here All that is taught of hurt or fear; Dead, but by free will they died: They were true men, they had pride.

TOM TAYLOR.

On pay-day nights, neck-full with beer, Old soldiers stumbling homeward here, Homeward (still dazzled by the spark Love kindled in some alley dark) Young soldiers mooning in slow thought, Start suddenly, turn about, are caught By a dancing sound, merry as a grig, Tom Taylor's piccolo playing jig. Never was blown from human cheeks Music like this, that calls and speaks Till sots and lovers from one string Dangle and dance in the same ring. Tom, of your piping I've heard said And seen--that you can rouse the dead, Dead-drunken men awash who lie In stinking gutters hear your cry, I've seen them twitch, draw breath, grope, sigh, Heave up, sway, stand; grotesquely then You set them dancing, these dead men. They stamp and prance with sobbing breath, Victims of wine or love or death, In ragged time they jump, they shake Their heads, sweating to overtake The impetuous tune flying ahead. They flounder after, with legs of lead. Now, suddenly as it started, play Stops, the short echo dies away, The corpses drop, a senseless heap, The drunk men gaze about like sheep. Grinning, the lovers sigh and stare Up at the broad moon hanging there, While Tom, five fingers to his nose, Skips off...And the last bugle blows.

COUNTRY AT WAR.

And what of home--how goes it, boys, While we die here in stench and noise? "The hill stands up and hedges wind Over the crest and drop behind; Here swallows dip and wild things go On peaceful errands to and fro Across the sloping meadow floor, And make no guess at blasting war. In woods that fledge the round hill-shoulder Leaves shoot and open, fall and moulder, And shoot again. Meadows yet show Alternate white of drifted snow And daisies. Children play at shop, Warm days, on the flat boulder-top, With wildflower coinage, and the wares Are bits of glass and unripe pears. Crows perch upon the backs of sheep, The wheat goes yellow: women reap, Autumn winds ruffle brook and pond, Flutter the hedge and fly beyond. So the first things of nature run, And stand not still for any one, Contemptuous of the distant cry Wherewith you harrow earth and sky. And high French clouds, praying to be Back, back in peace beyond the sea, Where nature with accustomed round Sweeps and garnishes the ground With kindly beauty, warm or cold-- Alternate seasons never old: Heathen, how furiously you rage, Cursing this blood and brimstone age, How furiously against your will You kill and kill again, and kill: All thought of peace behind you cast, Till like small boys with fear aghast, Each cries for God to understand, 'I could not help it, it was my hand.'"

SOSPAN FACH. (The Little Saucepan)

Four collier lads from Ebbw Vale Took shelter from a shower of hail, And there beneath a spreading tree Attuned their mouths to harmony.

With smiling joy on every face Two warbled tenor, two sang bass, And while the leaves above them hissed with Rough hail, they started "Aberystwyth."

Old Parry's hymn, triumphant, rich, They changed through with even pitch, Till at the end of their grand noise I called: "Give us the 'Sospan' boys!"

Who knows a tune so soft, so strong, So pitiful as that "Saucepan" song For exiled hope, despaired desire Of lost souls for their cottage fire?

Then low at first with gathering sound Rose their four voices, smooth and round, Till back went Time: once more I stood With Fusiliers in Mametz Wood.

Fierce burned the sun, yet cheeks were pale, For ice hail they had leaden hail; In that fine forest, green and big, There stayed unbroken not one twig.

They sang, they swore, they plunged in haste, Stumbling and shouting through the waste; The little "Saucepan" flamed on high, Emblem of hope and ease gone by.

Rough pit-boys from the coaly South, They sang, even in the cannon's mouth; Like Sunday's chapel, Monday's inn, The death-trap sounded with their din.

***

The storm blows over, Sun comes out, The choir breaks up with jest and shout, With what relief I watch them part-- Another note would break my heart!

THE LEVELLER.