When music, in a heart that's true, Do kindle up wold loves anew, An' dim wet eyes, in feäirest lights, Do zee but inward fancy's zights; When creepèn years, wi' with'rèn blights, 'V a-took off them that wer so dear, How touchèn 'tis if we do hear The tuèns o' the dead, John. When I, a-stannèn in the lew O' trees a storm's a-beätèn drough, Do zee the slantèn mist a-drove By spitevul winds along the grove, An' hear their hollow sounds above My shelter'd head, do seem, as I Do think o' zunny days gone by, Lik' music vor the dead, John. Last night, as I wer gwaïn along The brook, I heärd the milk-maïd's zong A-ringèn out so clear an' shrill Along the meäds an' roun' the hill. I catch'd the tuèn, an' stood still To hear't; 'twer woone that Jeäne did zing A-vield a-milkèn in the spring,— Sweet music o' the dead, John. Don't tell o' zongs that be a-zung By young chaps now, wi' sheämeless tongue: Zing me wold ditties, that would start The maïdens' tears, or stir my heart To teäke in life a manly peärt,— The wold vo'k's zongs that twold a teäle, An' vollow'd round their mugs o' eäle, The music o' the dead, John. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HORATIAN ECHO by MATTHEW ARNOLD TO A DOG by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD THE THREE SORROWS by JULIEN AUGUSTE PELAGE BRIZEUX SPRING SONG IN THE CITY by ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN SONGS OF THE SEA CHILDREN: 31 by BLISS CARMAN THE RUSTIC PAINTER by ALICE CARY SONNET: OF THE GRAVE OF SELVAGGIA, ON MONTE DELLA SAMBUCA by CINO DA PISTOIA DRINKING VERSUS THINKING; OR, A SONG AGAINST THE NEW PHILOSOPHY by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE |