THE old coach-road through a common of furze, With knolls of pine, ran white; Berries of autumn, with thistles, and burrs, And spider-threads, droop'd in the light. The light in a thin blue veil peered sick; The sheep grazed close and still; The smoke of a farm by a yellow rick Curled lazily under a hill. No fly shook the round of the silver net; No insect the swift bird chased; Only two travellers moved and met Across that hazy waste. One was a girl with a babe that throve, Her ruin and her bliss; One was a youth with a lawless love, Who clasped it the more for this. The girl for her babe hummed prayerful speech; The youth for his love did pray; Each cast a wistful look on each, And either went their way. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LOVELY CHANCE by SARA TEASDALE ODE ON THE SPRING by THOMAS GRAY ESTONIAN BRIDAL SONG by JOHANN GOTTFRIED VON HERDER THE KING'S DAUGHTER by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE THE PRELUDE: BOOK 1. CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-TIME by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH |