Selections From The Poems And Plays Of Robert Browning Part 4

"Our isles are just at hand," they cried, "Like cloudlets faint in even sleeping; Our temple-gates are opened wide, Our olive-groves thick shade are keeping 80 For these majestic forms"--they cried.

Oh, then we awoke with sudden start From our deep dream, and knew, too late, How bare the rock, how desolate, Which had received our precious freight. 85 Yet we called out--"Depart!

Our gifts once given must here abide.

Our work is done; we have no heart To mar our work"--we cried.

III

"THUS THE MAYNE GLIDETH"

Thus the Mayne glideth 90 Where my Love abideth.

Sleep's no softer; it proceeds On through lawns, on through meads, On and on, whate'er befall, Meandering and musical, 95 Though the n.i.g.g.ard pasturage Bears not on its shaven ledge Aught but weeds and waving gra.s.ses To view the river as it pa.s.ses, Save here and there a scanty patch 100 Of primroses too faint to catch A weary bee.

And scarce it pushes Its gentle way through strangling rushes Where the glossy kingfisher Flutters when noon-heats are near, 105 Glad the shelving banks to shun, Red and steaming in the sun, Where the shrew-mouse with pale throat Burrows, and the speckled stoat; Where the quick sandpipers flit 110 In and out the marl and grit That seems to breed them, brown as they.

Naught disturbs its quiet way, Save some lazy stork that springs, Trailing it with legs and wings, 115 Whom the shy fox from the hill Rouses, creep he ne'er so still.

CAVALIER TUNES

I

MARCHING ALONG

Kentish Sir Byng stood for his King, Bidding the crop-headed Parliament swing; And, pressing a troop unable to stoop And see the rogues nourish and honest folk droop, Marched them along, fifty-score strong, 5 Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song:

G.o.d for King Charles! Pym and such carles To the Devil that prompts 'em their treasonous parles!

Cavaliers, up! Lips from the cup, Hands from the pasty, nor bite take nor sup. 10 Till you're-- CHORUS.--_Marching along, fifty-score strong,_ _Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song._

Hampden to h.e.l.l, and his obsequies' knell Serve Hazelrig, Fiennes, and young Harry as well! 15 England, good cheer! Rupert is near!

Kentish and loyalists, keep we not here, CHORUS.--_Marching along, fifty-score strong,_ _Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song?_

Then, G.o.d for King Charles! Pym and his snarls 20 To the Devil that p.r.i.c.ks on such pestilent carles!

Hold by the right, you double your might; So, onward to Nottingham, fresh for the fight.

CHORUS.--_March we along, fifty-score strong,_ _Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song!_

II

GIVE A ROUSE

King Charles, and who'll do him right now?

King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?

Give a rouse; here's, in h.e.l.l's despite now, King Charles!

Who gave me the goods that went since? 5 Who raised me the house that sank once?

Who helped me to gold I spent since?

Who found me in wine you drank once?

CHORUS.-- _King Charles, and who'll do him right now?_ _King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?_ 10 _Give a rouse; here's, in h.e.l.l's despite now,_ _King Charles!_

To whom used my boy George quaff else, By the old fool's side that begot him?

For whom did he cheer and laugh else, 15 While Noll's d.a.m.ned troopers shot him?

CHORUS.-- _King Charles, and who'll do him right now?_ _King Charles, and who's ripe for fight now?_ _Give a rouse; here's, in h.e.l.l's despite now,_ _King Charles!_ 20

III

BOOT AND SADDLE

Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!

Rescue my castle before the hot day Brightens to blue from its silvery gray, CHORUS.--_Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!_

Ride past the suburbs, asleep as you'd say; 5 Many's the friend there, will listen and pray "G.o.d's luck to gallants that strike up the lay-- CHORUS.--_Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!"_

Forty miles off, like a roebuck at bay, Flouts Castle Brancepeth the Roundheads' array; 10 Who laughs, "Good fellows ere this, by my fay, CHORUS.--_Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!"_

Who? My wife Gertrude; that, honest and gay, Laughs when you talk of surrendering, "Nay!

I've better counselors; what counsel they? 15 CHORUS.--_Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!"_

THE LOST LEADER

Just for a handful of silver he left us, Just for a riband to stick in his coat-- Found the one gift of which fortune bereft us, Lost all the others she lets us devote; They, with the gold to give, doled him out silver, 5 So much was theirs who so little allowed; How all our copper had gone for his service!

Rags--were they purple, his heart had been proud!

We that had loved him so, followed him, honored him, Lived in his mild and magnificent eye, 10 Learned his great language, caught his clear accents, Made him our pattern to live and to die!

Shakespeare was of us, Milton was for us, Burns, Sh.e.l.ley, were with us--they watch from their graves!

He alone breaks from the van and the freemen, 15 --He alone sinks to the rear and the slaves!

We shall march prospering--not through his presence; Songs may inspirit us--not from his lyre; Deeds will be done--while he boasts his quiescence, Still bidding crouch whom the rest bade aspire. 20 Blot out his name, then, record one lost soul more, One task more declined, one more footpath untrod, One more devils'-triumph and sorrow for angels, One wrong more to man, one more insult to G.o.d!

Life's night begins; let him never come back to us! 25 There would be doubt, hesitation and pain, Forced praise on our part--the glimmer of twilight, Never glad confident morning again!

Best fight on well, for we taught him--strike gallantly, Menace our heart ere we master his own; 30 Then let him receive the new knowledge and wait us, Pardoned in heaven, the first by the throne!

"HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX"

I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; "Good speed!" cried the watch, as the gatebolts undrew; "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, 5 And into the midnight we galloped abreast.

Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place; I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, Then shortened each stirrup, and set the pique right, 10 Rebuckled the cheek-strap, chained slacker the bit, Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit.

'Twas moonset at starting; but while we drew near Lokeren, the c.o.c.ks crew and twilight dawned clear; At Boom a great yellow star came out to see; 15 At Duffeld 'twas morning as plain as could be; And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half-chime, So Joris broke silence with, "Yet there is time!"

At Aershot up leaped of a sudden the sun, And against him the cattle stood black every one, 20 To stare through the mist at us galloping past, And I saw my stout galloper Roland at last, With resolute shoulders, each b.u.t.ting away The haze, as some bluff river headland its spray;

And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back 25 For my voice, and the other p.r.i.c.ked out on his track; And one eye's black intelligence--ever that glance O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance!