Would wé could teach our sons His trust in face of doom, Or give our bravest ones A comparable tomb: Such as to look on shrives The heart of half its care; So in each line survives The spirit that made it fair; So fair the characters, With which the dusty scroll, That tells his title, stirs A requiem for his soul. Yet dearer far to me, And brave as he are they, Who fight by land and sea For England at this day; Whose vile memorials, In mournful marbles gilt, Deface the beauteous walls By growing glory built: Heirs of our antique shrines, Sires of our future fame, Whose starry honour shines In many a noble name Across the deathful days, Link’d in the brotherhood That loves our country’s praise, And lives for heavenly good. 22 THE DUTEOUS HEART Spirit of grace and beauty, Whom men so much miscall; Maidenly, modest duty, I cry thee fair befal! Pity for them that shun thee, Sorrow for them that hate, Glory, hath any won thee To dwell in high estate! But rather thou delightest To walk in humble ways, Keeping thy favour brightest Uncrown’d by foolish praise; In such retirement dwelling, Where, hath the worldling been, He straight returneth telling Of sights that he hath seen, Of simple men and truest Faces of girl and boy; The souls whom thou enduest With gentle peace and joy. Fair from my song befal thee, Spirit of beauty and grace! Men that so much miscall thee Have never seen thy face. 23 THE IDLE FLOWERS I have sown upon the fields Eyebright and Pimpernel, And Pansy and Poppy-seed Ripen’d and scatter’d well, And silver Lady-smock The meads with light to fill, Cowslip and Buttercup, Daisy and Daffodil; King-cup and Fleur-de-lys Upon the marsh to meet With Comfrey, Watermint, Loose-strife and Meadowsweet; And all along the stream My care hath not forgot Crowfoot’s white galaxy And love’s Forget-me-not: And where high grasses wave Shall great Moon-daisies blink, With Rattle and Sorrel sharp And Robin’s ragged pink. Thick on the woodland floor Gay company shall be, Primrose and Hyacinth And frail Anemone, Perennial Strawberry-bloom, Woodsorrel’s pencilled veil, Dishevel’d Willow-weed And Orchis purple and pale, Bugle, that blushes blue, And Woodruff’s snowy gem, Proud Foxglove’s finger-bells And Spurge with milky stem. High on the downs so bare, Where thou dost love to climb, Pink Thrift and Milkwort are, Lotus and scented Thyme; And in the shady lanes Bold Arum’s hood of green, Herb Robert, Violet, Starwort and Celandine; And by the dusty road Bedstraw and Mullein tall, With red Valerian And Toadflax on the wall,