Eke the while she dons her smock

She coys and coos to a flapping flock
Of waterfowl, that o'er her head
Have even perch'd on a willow-wand,
An ibis rose, an ibis red,
A nightingale, a noisy wren,
A silver swan, a hern, a hen,

That every second stretch their head, And snatch or trill when tipt and fann'd By fingers fair of her fondling hand.

And farther down 'tis rare to see
How all alone, and mad with love,
She ran right through the ruddy grove
Of all those almond-rods of Jove,
As every bud on every tree

Its bobs and kisses closed and made,
A-dappling her with dancing shade;

The while she wanton'd here and there,
And mouth'd the fresh, and cull'd the fair,
And flowered all her yellow hair,

And far too blithe to be afraid, Within her buoyant bosom laid A scraggy almond-blossom-rod, Gay with the greatness of the god,

That in her bosom bloom'd a-new,
And buds and branches tipt and threw,
And swept and swung, below, above
Her 'shevelled head and feet unshod,

Till large with bloom, and light with love,
The margin-murmurings of the grove
Away did seem to swoon and swim ;
While rosy from the river's rim

The light dew round her closed and wound,
And winding, writhing, wreathëd round,

And swept the flowers o'er and o'er,
And white her kirtle toy'd and tore,

And through her limbs sharp shivers sent,
And up the hem betript and bore

And blazon'd all her beauty o'er,

And showers of flowers around did pour;

And round and around her in circles went
Wherever yet her fair foot trod,

And soyl'd the fallen flowers to the sod,
And tost and tript in merriment.

If you would all this story see
And all its merry imagery,
Commend you to my lady. She
Will lead you to her gallery;

And there awhile

Yourselves beguile

Along th' entablatures and see—

A tale more merry can not be.

My Lady (now you must be told)
Within this gallery doth hold,

Imprison'd in a cage of gold,

Some thousand pigeons-Oh! the pretties!
(0 my pigeons! O my pretties!)
Cooing all their sweet love-ditties

As their white wings flap or fold.

She comes sometimes at dawn of day,-
Against the golden wires they cling,
And all their merry matins sing,
And turn their necks, or preen a wing,

And all their beauty-tricks display,
And make them meet for journeying.

She opens the door, they fly away!

Some are white, and some dove-grey,
Some are black as smoked pearl,

Some fly straight, and others twirl And turn and tumble along the way.

Hyüeeps, Hyüeeps, Hyüèèps, Oho!
Out, my pretties! Ho! my pretties!
Cooing, cooing love and ditties!
Losing you were worst of pities
Ho! my pets and pretties, Ho!

All the towns are miles below;
A league alone there lies below

The church and vane, the chimes go,

And clatters and clashes and booms the bell;

And over the terrace and dingle and dell

Ho!

And over the wenches who yawn at the well, And flutter above their socks and smocks, And clash their pails and pannikins-Ho! Over the poplars, all in a row,

A mile below the elm that rocks,

The tips of gold in the golden glow,

And all the roofs and the weather-cocks,

Squeaking and creaking the redder they grow,

As black and long and black-Ho!,

The trees their side-long shadows throw,

Ho, Hyüeèps, Hyüeèps, oho;

Out, my pretties! Ho, my pretties!
Mad as merry! how they go!

Zounds and Zephyr! and how they go!
Over the corn, and over the cocks,

Over the river and over the hill!

Swoop in the fruitery, apple and pear,
Hyüeèps, and up to the tips of the air!
Hyüeèps, and up and over the hill !

And over the swallows that veer in flocks,
Below, believe! a league below

The hill itself below the mill;

And merry and merry the sails go,

Round, and round, and wound with the wind,

And all the folks are standing still,

And all the world runs out of mind,
Aud black their shadow flies behind,
Behind, below, below, behind!
A-running, a-running along the hill,
And large along the golden land,
All rose and red in the rising glow,
Ho! my pets and pretties, Ho!
Out of earshot! How they go !
And all the reapers, scythe in hand,
Are shouting:-"Ho! Hyüeèps, O-ho!”
Whirr and winging! How they go !
Up and up, and dizzying high,