"Winter is cold-hearted
Spring is yea and nay,
Autumn is a weather-cock
Blown every way:
Summer days for me
When every leaf is on its tree;
When Robin's not a beggar,
And Jenny Wren's a bride,
And larks hang singing, singing, singing,
Over the wheat-fields wide,
And anchored lilies ride,
And the pendulum spider
Swings from side to side,
And blue-black beetles transact business,
And gnats fly in a host,
And furry caterpillars hasten
That no time be lost,
And moths grow fat and thrive,
And ladybirds arrive.
Before green apples blush,
Before green nuts embrown,
Why, one day in the country
Is worth a month in town;
Is worth a day and a year
Of the dusty, musty, lag-last fashion
That days drone elsewhere. "
Spring is yea and nay,
Autumn is a weather-cock
Blown every way:
Summer days for me
When every leaf is on its tree;
When Robin's not a beggar,
And Jenny Wren's a bride,
And larks hang singing, singing, singing,
Over the wheat-fields wide,
And anchored lilies ride,
And the pendulum spider
Swings from side to side,
And blue-black beetles transact business,
And gnats fly in a host,
And furry caterpillars hasten
That no time be lost,
And moths grow fat and thrive,
And ladybirds arrive.
Before green apples blush,
Before green nuts embrown,
Why, one day in the country
Is worth a month in town;
Is worth a day and a year
Of the dusty, musty, lag-last fashion
That days drone elsewhere. "
- Christina Rossetti, 1830 - 1894.
Delightful - I love the word embrown - I shall try to use it as often as I can!
ReplyDeleteIt's rather a good word isn't it Elaine? :)
DeleteBeautiful ode to summer Anna!
ReplyDeleteI liked it guys :)
DeleteJust some of the reasons why summer is my favourite season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Jo and I hope that this summer is living up to all your expectations.
DeleteI think Ms Rossetti could have scanned her poem a little better, don't you?! Lovely picture though! :)
ReplyDeleteThere is probably room for improvement Cathy but for me it's the sentiments that she conveys that are the most important :)
DeleteA lovely poem - haven't seen this one before, but do like Christina Rossetti. Love the picture of teasels.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chloris - the photo was taken on my allotment plot last summer.
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