The flower-girl, singing, comes up from the river, Up through the field to the street of the village, Bringing her basket heaped high with the pillage Of riverside violet, lily, and rush. The rays of the morning flicker and quiver Warm on her arms and her glistening face, And twinkle on anklets that jangle together With tinkle of bells and melodious jingle As gay as a robin and clear as a thrush. The wind is awake with her, fingering ribbons and lace That flutter in tatters, bright like a paradise feather; The wind is awake with her up from the river so early With songs that are part of the sunrise and mingle With the singing of birds in the willow. The herdboy has lifted his curly head from the pillow Of grass at her singing, And bows to her mockingly, make a grimace, And laughs to the laughter that ripples her face Till the hillside is ringing. * * * * Wind, wind, all night through the Emperor's gardens You gathered the weary delight of the wise and the witty And perfume that curled out of urns of gold. Wind, all night through the city You gathered the word that murders, the whisper that hardens The minds of men in a horrible mold. Scatter the cargo you gethered, and blow through the hair Of the flower-girl singing at dawn through the street; Scatter the cargo you gathered, and bear The silvery laughter that rings from the hill. I have opened my window. Pour over me; spill All the spring at my feet! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONG: WOO'D AND MARRIED AND A' by JOANNA BAILLIE ODE FOR THE BURIAL OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT FAREWELL TO LOVE; SONNET by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE THE COLLEGE COLONEL by HERMAN MELVILLE VALENTINES TO MY MOTHER: 1882 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI VAN ELSEN by FREDERICK GEORGE SCOTT NORTH-WEST PASSAGE: 3. IN PORT by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON |