SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
Ringed with blue lines; and feathery, faery dust;
Wet roofs, beneath the lamp-light; the strong crust
Of friendly bread; and many-tasting food;
Rainbows; and the blue bitter smoke of wood; 30
And radiant raindrops couching in cool flowers;
And, flowers themselves, that sway through sunny
hours,
Dreaming of moths that drink them under the moon :
Then, the cool kindliness of sheets, that soon
Smooth away trouble; and the rough male kiss 35
Of blankets; grainy wood : live hair that is
Shining and free; blue-massing clouds; the keen
Unpassioned beauty of a great machine;
The benison of hot water; furs to touch;
The good smell of old clothes; and other such— 4°
The comfortable smell of friendly fingers,
Hair's fragrance, and the musty reek that lingers
About dead leaves and last year's ferns.........
Dear names,
And thousand other throng to me! Royal flames;
Sweet water's dimpling laugh from tap or spring; 45
Holes in the ground; and voices that do sing;
Voices in laughter, too; and body's pain,
Soon turned to peace; and the deep-panting train ;
Firm sands; the little dulling edge of foam
That browns and dwindles as the wave goes home; 5°
And washen stones, gay for an hour; the cold
Graveness of iron; moist black earthen mould;
Sleep; and high places; footprints in the dew;
And oaks; and brown horse-chestnuts, glossy-new;
And new-peeled sticks; and shining pools on grass;— 55
All these have been my loves. And these shall pass,
Whatever passes not, in the great hour,
Nor all my passion, all my prayers, have power
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