Les Roses de Sâdi poem – Andrew Lang poems
This morning I vowed I would bring thee my roses, They were thrust in the band that my bodice encloses; But the breast-knots were broken, the roses went free. The breast-knots were broken; the roses together Floated forth on the wings of the wind and the weather, And they drifted afar down the […]
Lady Anne Bothwell’s Lament poem – Andrew Lang poems
Balow, my boy, ly still and sleep, It grieves me sore to hear thee weep, If thou’lt be silent, I’ll be glad, Thy mourning makes my heart full sad. Balow, my boy, thy mother’s joy, Thy father bred one great annoy. Balow, my boy, ly still and sleep, It grieves me sore to […]
Johnnie Armstrang poem – Andrew Lang poems
Some speak of lords, some speak of lairds, And sic like men of high degree; Of a gentleman I sing a sang, Some time call’d Laird of Gilnockie. The king he writes a loving letter, With his ain hand sae tenderlie, And he hath sent it to Johnnie Armstrang, To come and speak […]
Jock O The Side poem – Andrew Lang poems
Now Liddisdale has ridden a raid, But I wat they had better staid at hame; For Mitchell o Winfield he is dead, And my son Johnie is prisner tane? With my fa ding diddle, la la dew diddle. For Mangerton house auld Downie is gane, Her coats she has kilted up to her […]
In Ithica poem – Andrew Lang poems
‘Tis thought Odysseus when the strife was o’er With all the waves and wars, a weary while, Grew restless in his disenchanted isle, And still would watch the sunset, from the shore, Go down the ways of gold, and evermore His sad heart followed after, mile on mile, Back to the Goddess of […]
A Highly Valuable Chain Of Thoughts poem – Andrew Lang poems
Had cigarettes no ashes, And roses ne’er a thorn, No man would be a funker Of whin, or burn, or bunker. There were no need for mashies, The turf would ne’er be torn, Had cigarettes no ashes, And roses ne’er a thorn. Had cigarettes no ashes, And roses ne’er a thorn, The big […]
Gordon Of Brackley poem – Andrew Lang poems
Down Deeside cam Inveraye Whistlin’ and playing, An’ called loud at Brackley gate Ere the day dawning– “Come, Gordon of Brackley. Proud Gordon, come down, There’s a sword at your threshold Mair sharp than your own.” “Arise now, gay Gordon,” His lady ‘gan cry, “Look, here is bold Inveraye Driving your kye.” “How […]
Edom O’ Gordon poem – Andrew Lang poems
It fell about the Martinmas, When the wind blew shrill and cauld, Said Edom o’ Gordon to his men,– “We maun draw to a hald. “And whatna hald shall we draw to, My merry men and me? We will gae straight to Towie house, To see that fair ladye.” [The ladye stood on […]
Double Ballade Of Primitive Man poem – Andrew Lang poems
He lived in a cave by the seas, He lived upon oysters and foes, But his list of forbidden degrees, An extensive morality shows; Geological evidence goes To prove he had never a pan, But he shaved with a shell when he chose, - ‘Twas the manner of Primitive Man. He worshipp’d the […]
Before The Snow poem – Andrew Lang poems
The winter is upon us, not the snow, The hills are etched on the horizon bare, The skies are iron grey, a bitter air, The meagre cloudlets shudder to and fro. One yellow leaf the listless wind doth blow, Like some strange butterfly, unclassed and rare. Your footsteps ring in frozen alleys, where […]
Ballades V – Of His Choice Of A Sepulchre poem – Andrew Lang poems
HERE I ‘d come when weariest! Here the breast Of the Windberg’s tufted over Deep with bracken; here his crest Takes the west, Where the wide-winged hawk doth hover. Silent here are lark and plover; In the cover Deep below, the cushat best Loves his mate, and croons above O’er their nest, Where […]
Ballades IV – Of Life poem – Andrew Lang poems
SAY, fair maids, maying In gardens green, In deep dells straying, What end hath been Two Mays between Of the flowers that shone And your own sweet queen?- “They are dead and gone!” Say, grave priests, praying In dule and teen, From cells decaying What have ye seen Of the proud and mean, […]
Ballades III – Of Blue China poem – Andrew Lang poems
THERE’S a joy without canker or cark, There ‘s a pleasure eternally new, ‘T is to gloat on the glaze and the mark Of china that ‘s ancient and blue; Unchipp’d, all the centuries through It has pass’d, since the chime of it rang, And they fashion’d it, figure and hue, In the […]
Ballades II – Of The Book-Hunter poem – Andrew Lang poems
IN torrid heats of late July, In March, beneath the bitter bise, He book-hunts while the loungers fly, He book-hunts, though December freeze; In breeches baggy at the knees, And heedless of the public jeers, For these, for these, he hoards his fees,- Aldines, Bodonis, Elzevirs. No dismal stall escapes his eye, He […]
Ballades I – To Theocritus, In Winter poem – Andrew Lang poems
AH! leave the smoke, the wealth, the roar Of London, leave the bustling street, For still, by the Sicilian shore, The murmur of the Muse is sweet. Still, still, the suns of summer greet The mountain-grave of Helike, And shepherds still their songs repeat Where breaks the blue Sicilian sea. What though they […]
Ballade Of True Wisdom poem – Andrew Lang poems
While others are asking for beauty or fame, Or praying to know that for which they should pray, Or courting Queen Venus, that affable dame, Or chasing the Muses the weary and grey, The sage has found out a more excellent way - To Pan and to Pallas his incense he showers, And […]
Ballade Of The Summer Term poem – Andrew Lang poems
When Lent and Responsions are ended, When May with fritillaries waits, When the flower of the chestnut is splendid, When drags are at all of the gates (Those drags the philosopher “slates” With a scorn that is truly sublime), Life wins from the grasp of the Fates Sweet hours and the fleetest of […]
Ballade Of The Southern Cross poem – Andrew Lang poems
Fair islands of the silver fleece, Hoards of unsunned, uncounted gold, Whose havens are the haunts of Peace, Whose boys are in our quarrel bold; OUR bolt is shot, our tale is told, Our ship of state in storms may toss, But ye are young if we are old, Ye Islands of the […]
Ballade Of Sleep poem – Andrew Lang poems
The hours are passing slow, I hear their weary tread Clang from the tower, and go Back to their kinsfolk dead. Sleep! death’s twin brother dread! Why dost thou scorn me so? The wind’s voice overhead Long wakeful here I know, And music from the steep Where waters fall and flow. Wilt thou […]
Ballade Of The Royal Game Of Golf poem – Andrew Lang poems
There are laddies will drive ye a ba’ To the burn frae the farthermost tee, But ye mauna think driving is a’, Ye may heel her, and send her ajee, Ye may land in the sand or the sea; And ye’re dune, sir, ye’re no worth a preen, Tak’ the word that an […]
Ballade Of Roulette poem – Andrew Lang poems
This life–one was thinking to-day, In the midst of a medley of fancies - Is a game, and the board where we play Green earth with her poppies and pansies. Let manque be faded romances, Be passe remorse and regret; Hearts dance with the wheel as it dances - The wheel of Dame […]
Ballade Of Queen Anne poem – Andrew Lang poems
The modish Airs, The Tansey Brew, The SWAINS and FAIRS In curtained Pew; Nymphs KNELLER drew, Books BENTLEY read, - Who knows them, who? QUEEN ANNE is dead! We buy her Chairs, Her China blue, Her red-brick Squares We build anew; But ah! we rue, When all is said, The tale o’er-true, QUEEN […]
Ballade Of Old Plays poem – Andrew Lang poems
LA COUR. When these Old Plays were new, the King, Beside the Cardinal’s chair, Applauded, ‘mid the courtly ring, The verses of Moliere; Point-lace was then the only wear, Old Corneille came to woo, And bright Du Parc was young and fair, When these Old Plays were new! LA COMEDIE. How shrill the […]
Ballade Of Worldly Wealth poem – Andrew Lang poems
Money taketh town and wall, Fort and ramp without a blow; Money moves the merchants all, While the tides shall ebb and flow; Money maketh Evil show Like the Good, and Truth like lies: These alone can ne’er bestow Youth, and health, and Paradise. Money maketh festival, Wine she buys, and beds can […]
Ballade Of True Wisdom poem – Andrew Lang poems
While others are asking for beauty or fame, Or praying to know that for which they should pray, Or courting Queen Venus, that affable dame, Or chasing the Muses the weary and grey, The sage has found out a more excellent way - To Pan and to Pallas his incense he showers, And […]
Ballade Of The Voyage To Cythera poem – Andrew Lang poems
I know Cythera long is desolate; I know the winds have stripp’d the gardens green. Alas, my friends! beneath the fierce sun’s weight A barren reef lies where Love’s flowers have been, Nor ever lover on that coast is seen! So be it, but we seek a fabled shore, To lull our vague […]
Ballade Of The Tweed poem – Andrew Lang poems
The ferox rins in rough Loch Awe, A weary cry frae ony toun; The Spey, that loups o’er linn and fa’, They praise a’ ither streams aboon; They boast their braes o’ bonny Doon: Gie ME to hear the ringing reel, Where shilfas sing, and cushats croon By fair Tweed-side, at Ashiesteel! There’s […]
Ballade Of The Summer Term poem – Andrew Lang poems
When Lent and Responsions are ended, When May with fritillaries waits, When the flower of the chestnut is splendid, When drags are at all of the gates (Those drags the philosopher “slates” With a scorn that is truly sublime), Life wins from the grasp of the Fates Sweet hours and the fleetest of […]
Ballade Of The Southern Cross poem – Andrew Lang poems
Fair islands of the silver fleece, Hoards of unsunned, uncounted gold, Whose havens are the haunts of Peace, Whose boys are in our quarrel bold; OUR bolt is shot, our tale is told, Our ship of state in storms may toss, But ye are young if we are old, Ye Islands of the […]
Ballade Of The Royal Game Of Golf poem – Andrew Lang poems
There are laddies will drive ye a ba’ To the burn frae the farthermost tee, But ye mauna think driving is a’, Ye may heel her, and send her ajee, Ye may land in the sand or the sea; And ye’re dune, sir, ye’re no worth a preen, Tak’ the word that an […]
Ballade Of The Muse poem – Andrew Lang poems
The man whom once, Melpomene, Thou look’st on with benignant sight, Shall never at the Isthmus be A boxer eminent in fight, Nor fares he foremost in the flight Of Grecian cars to victory, Nor goes with Delian laurels dight, The man thou lov’st, Melpomene! Not him the Capitol shall see, As who […]
Ballade Of The Midnight Forest poem – Andrew Lang poems
Still sing the mocking fairies, as of old, Beneath the shade of thorn and holly-tree; The west wind breathes upon them, pure and cold, And wolves still dread Diana roaming free In secret woodland with her company. ‘Tis thought the peasants’ hovels know her rite When now the wolds are bathed in silver […]
Ballade Of The Dream poem – Andrew Lang poems
Swift as sound of music fled When no more the organ sighs, Sped as all old days are sped, So your lips, love, and your eyes, So your gentle-voiced replies Mine one hour in sleep that seem, Rise and flit when slumber flies, Following darkness like a dream! Like the scent from roses […]
Ballade Of The Dead Cities poem – Andrew Lang poems
The dust of Carthage and the dust Of Babel on the desert wold, The loves of Corinth, and the lust, Orchomenos increased with gold; The town of Jason, over-bold, And Cherson, smitten in her prime - What are they but a dream half-told? Where are the cities of old time? In towns that […]
Ballade Of The Bookworm poem – Andrew Lang poems
Far in the Past I peer, and see A Child upon the Nursery floor, A Child with books upon his knee, Who asks, like Oliver, for more! The number of his years is IV, And yet in Letters hath he skill, How deep he dives in Fairy-lore! The Books I loved, I love […]
Ballade Of Sleep poem – Andrew Lang poems
The hours are passing slow, I hear their weary tread Clang from the tower, and go Back to their kinsfolk dead. Sleep! death’s twin brother dread! Why dost thou scorn me so? The wind’s voice overhead Long wakeful here I know, And music from the steep Where waters fall and flow. Wilt thou […]
Ballade Of Roulette poem – Andrew Lang poems
This life–one was thinking to-day, In the midst of a medley of fancies - Is a game, and the board where we play Green earth with her poppies and pansies. Let manque be faded romances, Be passe remorse and regret; Hearts dance with the wheel as it dances - The wheel of Dame […]
Ballade Of Queen Anne poem – Andrew Lang poems
The modish Airs, The Tansey Brew, The SWAINS and FAIRS In curtained Pew; Nymphs KNELLER drew, Books BENTLEY read, - Who knows them, who? QUEEN ANNE is dead! We buy her Chairs, Her China blue, Her red-brick Squares We build anew; But ah! we rue, When all is said, The tale o’er-true, QUEEN […]
Ballade Of Old Plays poem – Andrew Lang poems
LA COUR. When these Old Plays were new, the King, Beside the Cardinal’s chair, Applauded, ‘mid the courtly ring, The verses of Moliere; Point-lace was then the only wear, Old Corneille came to woo, And bright Du Parc was young and fair, When these Old Plays were new! LA COMEDIE. How shrill the […]
Ballade Of His Books poem – Andrew Lang poems
Here stand my books, line upon line They reach the roof, and row by row, They speak of faded tastes of mine, And things I did, but do not, know: Old school books, useless long ago, Old Logics, where the spirit, railed in, Could scarcely answer “yes” or “no” - The many things […]