Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A COUNTRY DANCE, by NORMAN ROWLAND GALE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A COUNTRY DANCE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Fiddle away, old time - / fiddle away, old fellow!
Last Line: Fiddle them, dear old fellow!
Subject(s): Country Life; Dancing & Dancers; Love


FIDDLE away, Old Time—
Fiddle away, Old Fellow!
Airs for infancy, youth, and prime,
Tunes both shrill and mellow.
Fiddle away,
Or grave or gay,
For faces pink or yellow—
Scrape your song a lifetime long,
Fiddle away, Old Fellow!

Here are country maidens' breasts
As white as hedgeside may;
Here are lips as red as hips
That make October gay;
Here are buckled feet, and comely
Limbs unspoiled by hose that's homely,
Twinkling as you play.
Though your bow be fast as fire,
Feet like these shall hardly tire
While the stars will stay.

Fiddle away, Old Time—
Fiddle away, Old Fellow!
Airs for infancy, youth, and prime,
Tunes both shrill and mellow.

Here's a wooden bench where sit
Two old crones, in tears,
Have not flung a romping leg
Fully forty years!
Lovers, sons and daughters gone,
Still they sadly linger on,
Mingling hopes and fears,
And in the merry dancing-rings
There's not a bouncing maiden springs
With blood allied to theirs;
And not a bearded mouth that smiles
Rejoiced their hut with baby wiles
Or learned their gentle prayers.

Fiddle them peace, Old Time—
Fiddle them rest, Old Fellow!
Tunes that ring through winter rime
Something of sweet and mellow.

Down scented lanes that sweethearts know
The homeward dancers go,
And wake the birds with merry words
And lapses into heel-and-toe.
"Ah, come with me across the ridge
And dream upon the wooden bridge,"
Cries John to sweet-lip Sue;
"And hear me whisper how the strains
Of music tingle in my veins,
Though not so much as you!"

Here softly lies in starlit eyes
That story, golden as a star,
Unchanged beneath the changing skies
On mountain-top, by harbour bar,
Wherever Venus in her car,
Dove-drawn, upon her mission flies!

The lovers lean across the rail
And watch the river running pale
Beneath them in the silver light.
Now—sweeter far than this—
Their lips within the stream unite
(O star of Love, so strangely bright!)
And tremble to a kiss.

Fiddle them faith, Old Time—
Fiddle them love, Old Fellow!
Beautiful songs of wedded prime,
Low and sweet and mellow.
Let your brilliant bow
Tenderly always go,
And happy things on golden strings
Fiddle them, dear Old Fellow!





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