Friday, January 4, 2013

Thoughts Of Home



The Manor Farm

The rock-like mud unfroze a little, and rills
Ran and sparkled down each side of the road
Under the catkins wagging in the hedge.
But earth would have her sleep out, spite of the sun;
Nor did I value that thin glilding beam
More than a pretty February thing
Till I came down to the old Manor Farm,
And church and yew-tree opposite, in age
Its equals and in size. The church and yew
And farmhouse slept in a Sunday silentness.
The air raised not a straw. The steep farm roof,
With tiles duskily glowing, entertained
The mid-day sun; and up and down the roof
White pigeons nestled. There was no sound but one.
Three cart-horses were looking over a gate
Drowsily through their forelocks, swishing their tails
Against a fly, a solitary fly.
The Winter's cheek flushed as if he had drained
Spring, Summer, and Autumn at a draught
And smiled quietly. But 'twas not Winter—
Rather a season of bliss unchangeable
Awakened from farm and church where it had lain
Safe under tile and thatch for ages since
This England, Old already, was called Merry.
 
~ Edward Thomas 1878-1917

3 comments:

Mary Ann said...

I don't know if I could ever leave my birthplace and stay away permanently... it would hurt me so sometimes. I admire you.

Dewena said...

Oh, that's lovely! "drowsily through their forelocks". Does reading it make you miss your homeland?

Ann Summerville said...

Beautiful. I always loved Robert Browning's Home Thoughts from Abroad and often think of it when I get homesick for England.
Ann