Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MOODS ON THE MOSELLE, by FORD MADOX FORD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MOODS ON THE MOSELLE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Sweet! Sweet! Sweet! Sings the bird upon the bough
Last Line: That our songs sing now.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hueffer, Ford Hermann; Hueffer, Ford Madox
Subject(s): Change; Mourning; Bereavement


"SWEET! Sweet! Sweet!" sings the bird upon the bough.
But though he may call for sweetness
We have other things to witness,
Not all cherry-pie and neatness,
Now.

"Mourn! Mourn! Mourn!" cry the owls among the vines.
But it's neither death nor fleetness
That have any utter fitness,
Not a final joy or sorrow,
As we press out wines.

"Change! Slow change!" ticks the church clock through the snow.
And somehow 'twixt winter's dying
And spring apple-blossoms flying
And the summer hops a-tying...
It's now haughty and now humble
Change! Slow change! And rough-and-tumble.
Down to-day and up to-morrow
That our songs sing now.





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