And many a fairy foreland set With willow-weed and mallow. I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever. "But Philip chatter'd more than brook or bird; Old Philip; all about the fields you caught His weary daylong chirping, like the dry High-elbow'd grigs that leap in summer grass. I wind about, and in and out, With here a blossom sailing, And here and there a lusty trout, And here and there a grayling, And here and there a foamy flake With many a silvery waterbreak And draw them all along, and flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever. "O darling Katie Willows, his one A maiden of our century, yet most meek; Divides threefold to show the fruit within. With some long-winded tale, and broke | And how the bailiff swore that he was mad, But he stood firm; and so the matter him short; And James departed vext with him and her.' How could I help her? Would I it wrong? (Claspt hands and that petitionary grace Of sweet seventeen subdued me ere she spoke) 'O would I take her father for one hour, For one half-hour, and let him talk to me!' And even while she spoke, I saw where James Made toward us, like a wader in the surf, Beyond the brook, waist-deep in meadow sweet. Divides threefold to show the fruit within: | Full cold my greeting was and dry; Then, wondering, ask'd her "Are you from the farm?" "Yes" answer'd she. "Pray stay a little pardon me; What do they call you?" "Katie." "That were strange. What surname?" "Willows." "No!" "That is my name." "Indeed!" and here he look'd so selfperplext, That Katie laugh'd, and laughing blush'd, till he Laugh'd also, but as one before he wakes, Who feels a glimmering strangeness in his dream. Then looking at her; "Too happy, fresh and fair, Too fresh and fair in our sad world's best bloom, To be the ghost of one who bore your She faintly smiled, she hardly moved; I saw with half-unconscious eye She wore the colors I approved. |