Following his look, I saw the Vale shaking its miles-long flower of pear, And village smoke like darker bloom, and distant steam's white-flying mane. The hills were throbbing, and the light quickened and quivered on the green, And "New, new, new!" a shrill thrush sang, and "New, new, new!" the larks again. I took the rusted spade and turned the clay back to its bed of clay. The grass was yellow where the clay had crushed it all the winter through. He stood beside me as I bent, each silent for the singing thought That sang in every nerve and cell reiterating "New, new, new!" I ended, and he moved away, half substance and half visionary, Disappearing in the trees, the grass, the flowers, and wind that in them blew. I remembered him but young and bright, and in his fading hands and brow Faint marks renewed where Love burned through, how many centuries ago! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NO LONGER COULD I DOUBT HIM TRUE by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR THE LOVE SONNETS OF PROTEUS: 51. FAREWELL TO JULIET (13) by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT VERSES: THE SEVENTH BOY by JOHN BYROM APPLE-PARING NIGHT IN VERMONT by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY THE LORD'S MASQUE: THE STARS DANCE; SONG by THOMAS CAMPION THE GOLF LINKS by SARAH NORCLIFFE CLEGHORN |