Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HROLF'S THRALL, HIS SONG, by WILLARD WATTLES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HROLF'S THRALL, HIS SONG, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There be five things to a man's desire
Last Line: God, send true man his true woman!


There be five things to a man's desire:
Kine flesh, roof-tree, his own fire,
Clean cup of sweet wine from goat's hide,
And through dark night one to lie beside.

Four things poor and homely be:
Hearth-fire, white cheese, own roof-tree,
True mead slow brewed with brown malt;
But a good woman is savour and salt.

Plow, shove deep through gray loam;
Hack, sword, hack for straw-thatch home;
Guard, buckler, guard both beast and human --
God, send true man his true woman!








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