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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PILOT'S DAUGHTER, by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: O'er western tides the fair spring Alternate Author Name(s): Pollex, D.; Walker, Patricius | |||
I O'ER western tides the fair Spring day Sent back a smile as it withdrew, And all the harbour, glittering gay, Return'd a blithe adieu; Great clouds above the hills and sea Kept brilliant watch, and air was free For last lark, first-born star, to greet,- When, for the crowning vernal sweet, Among the slopes and crags I meet The Pilot's pretty Daughter. II Round her gentle, happy face, Dimpled soft, and freshly fair, Danced with careless ocean grace Locks of auburn hair: As lightly blew the veering wind, They touched her cheeks, or waved behind, Unbound, un braided, and unloop'd; Or when to tie her shoe she stoop'd Below her chin the half-curls droop'd, And veil'd the Pilot's Daughter. III Rising, she toss'd them gaily back, With gesture infantine and brief, To fall around as smooth a neck As any wild-rose leaf. Her Sunday frock of lilac shade (That choicest tint) was neatly made, And not too long to hide from view The stout but noway clumsy shoe, And stocking's trimly-fitting blue That graced the Pilot's Daughter. IV With look half timid and half droll, And then with slightly downcast eyes, And something of a blush that stole, Or something from the skies Deepening the warmth upon her cheek, She turn'd when I began to speak; The firm young step a sculptor's choice; How clear the cadence of her voice! Health bade her virgin soul rejoice,- The Pilot's lovely Daughter! V Were it my lot (the sudden wish) To hand a pilot's oar and sail, Or haul the dripping moonlight mesh Spangled with herring-scale By dying stars, how sweet 'twould be, And dawn upon the glimmering sea, With weary, cheery pull to shore, To gain my cottage-home once more, And clasp, before I reach the door, My love, the Pilot's Daughter! VI This element beside my feet Allures, a tepid wine of gold One touch, one taste, dispels the cheat, 'Tis salt and nipping cold: A fisher's hut, the scene perforce Of narrow thoughts and manners coarse, Coarse as the curtains that beseem (Festoons of net) the smoky beam, Would never lodge my favourite dream, Though fair my Pilot's Daughter. VII To the large riches of the earth, Endowing men in their despite, The Poor, by privilege of birth, Stand in the closest right. Yet not alone the palm grows dull With clayey delve and watery pull: And this for me,-or hourly pain But could I sink and call it gain? Unless a pilot true, 'twere vain To wed a Pilot's Daughter. VIII Lift her, perhaps ?-but ah! I said, Much wiser leave such thoughts alone. So may thy beauty, simple maid, Be mine, yet all thy own Join'd in my free contented love With companies of stars above, Who from their throne of airy steep Do kiss these ripples as they creep Across the boundless darkening deep,- Low voiceful wave! hush soon to sleep The Pilot's gentle Daughter! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HALF-WAKING by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM MARY DONNELLY by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE DIRTY OLD MAN by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE FAIRIES by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE WINDING BANKS OF ERNE; OR, THE EMIGRANT'S ADIEU TO HIS BIRTHPLACE by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM A BURIAL-PLACE by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM A DAY OF DAYS by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM |
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