Near and Far (Blunden)/Fragment
Fragment
Steal abroad, your time is come; doubt not once the new-blown hour;
Winter's wickedness is past,
And those long leaden nerveless moods
Which frowned much worse than frozen woods
Gone, as soft as thistle-wool
Upon a zephyr's love-like breath;
In animation beautiful
Returns your chance; now wander with
The sparkle on the living seas,
Nor fear that in these green estates
Ambushed may lie
The hooded serpent with the human eye;
But all is opening garden-gates,
Running mill-sails, fountain trees,
Winged boats that water-jewels attend
Where singingly they round the bend;
And sounding works whose smoke lifts proud
Through towers of force to yon rose-cloud
From elemental engines poured—
And both a glory to the Lord.
From mill to steeple, day breaks pure;
Your horse is on the road he wished,
And away past suburb and colure
Goes like the famous giant refreshed;
While you as light you travel by
See beckoning hand or smiling eye
That came in night's dark fairy showers
To make new morning wild with flowers
Winter's wickedness is past,
And those long leaden nerveless moods
Which frowned much worse than frozen woods
Gone, as soft as thistle-wool
Upon a zephyr's love-like breath;
In animation beautiful
Returns your chance; now wander with
The sparkle on the living seas,
Nor fear that in these green estates
Ambushed may lie
The hooded serpent with the human eye;
But all is opening garden-gates,
Running mill-sails, fountain trees,
Winged boats that water-jewels attend
Where singingly they round the bend;
And sounding works whose smoke lifts proud
Through towers of force to yon rose-cloud
From elemental engines poured—
And both a glory to the Lord.
From mill to steeple, day breaks pure;
Your horse is on the road he wished,
And away past suburb and colure
Goes like the famous giant refreshed;
While you as light you travel by
See beckoning hand or smiling eye
That came in night's dark fairy showers
To make new morning wild with flowers
***