I O Goat-foot God of Arcady! This modern world is grey and old, Ah what remains to us of Thee? No more the shepherd lads in glee Throw apples at thy wattled fold, O Goat-foot God of Arcady! Nor through the laurels can one see Thy soft brown limbs, thy beard of gold, Ah what remains to us of Thee? And dull and dead our Thames would be For here the winds are chill and cold, O Goat-foot God of Arcady! Then keep the tomb of Helice, Thine olive-woods, thy vine-clad wold, Ah what remains to us of Thee? Though many an unsung elegy Sleep in the reeds our rivers hold, O Goat-foot God of Arcady! Ah what remains to us of Thee? II Ah leave the hills of Arcady, Thy satyrs and their wanton play, This modern world hath need of Thee. No nymph or Faun indeed have we, For Faun and nymph are old and grey, Ah leave the hills of Arcady! This is the land where Liberty Lit grave-browed Milton on his way, This modern world hath need of Thee! A land of ancient chivalry Where gentle Sidney saw the day, Ah leave the hills of Arcady! This fierce sea-lion of the sea, This England, lacks some stronger lay, This modern world hath need of Thee! Then blow some Trumpet loud and free, And give thy oaten pipe away, Ah leave the hills of Arcady! This modern world hath need of Thee! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...STELLA'S BIRTHDAY, 1726-7 by JONATHAN SWIFT THE POET'S SOLILOQUY by E. M. AVERILL TO JOANNA, ON SENDING ME THE LEAF OF A FLOWER ... WORDSWORTH'S GARDEN by BERNARD BARTON THE CONTRAST; THE SUNNY SIDE by LEVI BISHOP MERCHANT ADVENTURERS (WITH ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TO SIMEON STRUNSKY) by BERTON BRALEY VALEDICTORY; THE SCHOLAR TO THE ASHES OF HIS LIBRARY by CHARLES WILLIAM BRODRIBB |