The Listeners and Other Poems By: Walter De la Mare (1873-1956)
First Page: THE LISTENERS AND OTHER POEMS by WALTER DE LA MARE [Illustration] New York Henry Holt and Company The author's thanks for permission to reprint certain of the poems included in this collection are due to the Editors of the Saturday Review , the Thrush , the Pall Mall Magazine , the Odd Volume , the Lady's Realm , the English Review , the Westminster Gazette , the Commonwealth , and the Nation . CONTENTS PAGE THE THREE CHERRY TREES 1 OLD SUSAN 3 OLD BEN 5 MISS LOO 7 THE TAILOR 9 MARTHA 10 THE SLEEPER 12 THE KEYS OF MORNING 14 RACHEL 16 ALONE 17 THE BELLS 19 THE SCARECROW 21 NOD 23 THE BINDWEED 25 WINTER 26 THERE BLOOMS NO BUD IN MAY 27 NOON AND NIGHT FLOWER 29 ESTRANGED 30 THE TIRED CUPID 31 DREAMS 32 FAITHLESS 33 THE SHADE 34 BE ANGRY NOW NO MORE 35 SPRING 36 EXILE 37 WHERE? 38 MUSIC UNHEARD 39 ALL THAT'S PAST 41 WHEN THE ROSE IS FADED 43 SLEEP 44 THE STRANGER 45 NEVER MORE, SAILOR 47 THE WITCH 49 ARABIA 52 THE MOUNTAINS 54 QUEEN DJENIRA 55 NEVER TO BE 57 THE DARK CHATEAU 59 THE DWELLING PLACE 61 THE LISTENERS 64 TIME PASSES 66 BEWARE! 68 THE JOURNEY 69 HAUNTED 74 SILENCE 76 WINTER DUSK 78 AGES AGO 80 HOME 82 THE GHOST 84 AN EPITAPH 85 'THE HAWTHORN HATH A DEATHLY SMELL' 86 THE THREE CHERRY TREES There were three cherry trees once, Grew in a garden all shady; And there for delight of so gladsome a sight, Walked a most beautiful lady, Dreamed a most beautiful lady. Birds in those branches did sing, Blackbird and throstle and linnet, But she walking there was by far the most fair Lovelier than all else within it, Blackbird and throstle and linnet. But blossoms to berries do come, All hanging on stalks light and slender, And one long summer's day charmed that lady away, With vows sweet and merry and tender; A lover with voice low and tender. Moss and lichen the green branches deck; Weeds nod in its paths green and shady: Yet a light footstep seems there to wander in dreams, The ghost of that beautiful lady, That happy and beautiful lady. OLD SUSAN When Susan's work was done she'd sit, With one fat guttering candle lit, And window opened wide to win The sweet night air to enter in; There, with a thumb to keep her place She'd read, with stern and wrinkled face, Her mild eyes gliding very slow Across the letters to and fro, While wagged the guttering candle flame In the wind that through the window came. And sometimes in the silence she Would mumble a sentence audibly, Or shake her head as if to say, 'You silly souls, to act this way!' And never a sound from night I'd hear, Unless some far off cock crowed clear; Or her old shuffling thumb should turn Another page; and rapt and stern, Through her great glasses bent on me She'd glance into reality; And shake her round old silvery head, With 'You! I thought you was in bed!' Only to tilt her book again, And rooted in Romance remain... Continue reading book >>

The Listeners and Other Poems By: Walter De la Mare (1873-1956)

First Page:

THE LISTENERS

AND OTHER POEMS

WALTER DE LA MARE

[Illustration]

New York Henry Holt and Company

The author's thanks for permission to reprint certain of the poems included in this collection are due to the Editors of the Saturday Review , the Thrush , the Pall Mall Magazine , the Odd Volume , the Lady's Realm , the English Review , the Westminster Gazette , the Commonwealth , and the Nation .

CONTENTS

PAGE

THE THREE CHERRY TREES 1

OLD SUSAN 3

OLD BEN 5

MISS LOO 7

THE TAILOR 9

MARTHA 10

THE SLEEPER 12

THE KEYS OF MORNING 14

RACHEL 16

ALONE 17

THE BELLS 19

THE SCARECROW 21

NOD 23

THE BINDWEED 25

WINTER 26

THERE BLOOMS NO BUD IN MAY 27

NOON AND NIGHT FLOWER 29

ESTRANGED 30

THE TIRED CUPID 31

DREAMS 32

FAITHLESS 33

THE SHADE 34

BE ANGRY NOW NO MORE 35

SPRING 36

EXILE 37

WHERE? 38

MUSIC UNHEARD 39

ALL THAT'S PAST 41

WHEN THE ROSE IS FADED 43

SLEEP 44

THE STRANGER 45

NEVER MORE, SAILOR 47

THE WITCH 49

ARABIA 52

THE MOUNTAINS 54

QUEEN DJENIRA 55

NEVER TO BE 57

THE DARK CHATEAU 59

THE DWELLING PLACE 61

THE LISTENERS 64

TIME PASSES 66

BEWARE! 68

THE JOURNEY 69

HAUNTED 74

SILENCE 76

WINTER DUSK 78

AGES AGO 80

HOME 82

THE GHOST 84

AN EPITAPH 85

'THE HAWTHORN HATH A DEATHLY SMELL' 86

THE THREE CHERRY TREES

There were three cherry trees once, Grew in a garden all shady; And there for delight of so gladsome a sight, Walked a most beautiful lady, Dreamed a most beautiful lady.

Birds in those branches did sing, Blackbird and throstle and linnet, But she walking there was by far the most fair Lovelier than all else within it, Blackbird and throstle and linnet.

But blossoms to berries do come, All hanging on stalks light and slender, And one long summer's day charmed that lady away, With vows sweet and merry and tender; A lover with voice low and tender.

Moss and lichen the green branches deck; Weeds nod in its paths green and shady: Yet a light footstep seems there to wander in dreams, The ghost of that beautiful lady, That happy and beautiful lady.

OLD SUSAN

When Susan's work was done she'd sit, With one fat guttering candle lit, And window opened wide to win The sweet night air to enter in; There, with a thumb to keep her place She'd read, with stern and wrinkled face, Her mild eyes gliding very slow Across the letters to and fro, While wagged the guttering candle flame In the wind that through the window came. And sometimes in the silence she Would mumble a sentence audibly, Or shake her head as if to say, 'You silly souls, to act this way!' And never a sound from night I'd hear, Unless some far off cock crowed clear; Or her old shuffling thumb should turn Another page; and rapt and stern, Through her great glasses bent on me She'd glance into reality; And shake her round old silvery head, With 'You! I thought you was in bed!' Only to tilt her book again, And rooted in Romance remain... Continue reading book >>

Genres for this book
Literature
Poetry

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