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NOBLE SISTERS.

"Now did you mark a falcon,

Sister dear, sister dear,

Flyin toward my window

In t!e mornin cool and clear #it! $inlin %ells a%out !er neck,

But w!at %eneat! !er win

It may !a&e %een a ri%%on,

Or it may !a&e %een a rin."''

"I marked a falcon swoo(in

)t t!e %reak of day*

)nd for your lo&e, my sister do&e,

I +frayed t!e t!ief away."''

"Or did you s(y a ruddy !ound,

Sister fair and tall,

#ent snuffin round my arden %ound,

Or crouc!ed %y my %ower wall

#it! a silken leas! a%out !is neck

But in !is mout! may %e

) c!ain of old and sil&er links,

Or a letter writ to me."''

"I !eard a !ound, !i!'%orn sister,

Stood %ayin at t!e moon*

I rose and dro&e !im from your wall

Lest you s!ould wake too soon."''

"Or did you meet a (retty (ae

Sat swinin on t!e ate

Sat w!istlin, w!istlin like a %ird,

Or may %e sle(t too late*

#it! ealets %roidered on !is ca(,

)nd ealets on !is lo&e

If you !ad turned !is (ockets out,

-ou !ad found some (lede of lo&e."''

"I met !im at t!is day%reak,

Scarce t!e east was red*

Lest t!e creakin ate s!ould aner you,

I (acked !im !ome to %ed."''

"O (atience, sister. id you see

) youn man tall and stron,

Swift'footed to u(!old t!e ri!t

)nd to u(root t!e wron,

/ome !ome across t!e desolate sea

To woo me for !is wife

)nd in !is !eart my !eart is locked,

)nd in !is life my life."''

"I met a nameless man, sister,

#!o loitered round our door*

I said* 0er !us%and lo&es !er muc!.

)nd yet s!e lo&es !im more."''

"Fie, sister, fie, a wicked lie,

) lie, a wicked lie

I !a&e none ot!er lo&e %ut !im,

Nor will !a&e till I die.

)nd you !a&e turned !im from our door,

)nd sta%%ed !im wit! a lie*

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I will o seek !im t!ro+ t!e world

In sorrow till I die."''

"1o seek in sorrow, sister,

)nd find in sorrow too*

If t!us you s!ame our fat!er+s name

2y curse o fort! wit! you."

S3RIN1.

Frost'locked all t!e winter,

Seeds, and roots, and stones of fruits,

#!at s!all make t!eir sa( ascend

T!at t!ey may (ut fort! s!oots

Ti(s of tender reen,

Leaf, or %lade, or s!eat!

Tellin of t!e !idden life

T!at %reaks fort! underneat!,

Life nursed in its ra&e %y eat!.

Blows t!e t!aw'wind (leasantly,

ri(s t!e soakin rain,

By fits looks down t!e wakin sun*

-oun rass s(rins on t!e (lain

-oun lea&es clot!e early !ederow trees

Seeds, and roots, and stones of fruits,

Swollen wit! sa(, (ut fort! t!eir s!oots

/urled'!eaded ferns s(rout in t!e lane

Birds sin and (air aain.

T!ere is no time like S(rin,

#!en life+s ali&e in e&eryt!in,

Before new nestlins sin,

Before cleft swallows s(eed t!eir $ourney %ack

)lon t!e trackless track,''

1od uides t!eir win,

0e s(reads t!eir ta%le t!at t!ey not!in lack,''

Before t!e daisy rows a common flower,

Before t!e sun !as (ower

To scorc! t!e world u( in !is noontide !our.

T!ere is no time like S(rin,

Like S(rin t!at (asses %y

T!ere is no life like S(rin'life %orn to die,''

3iercin t!e sod,

/lot!in t!e uncout! clod,

0atc!ed in t!e nest,

Fleded on t!e windy %ou!,

Stron on t!e win*

T!ere is no time like S(rin t!at (asses %y,

Now newly %orn, and now

0astenin to die.

T0E L)2BS OF 1R)S2ERE, 4567.

T!e u(land flocks rew star&ed and t!inned*

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T!eir s!e(!erds scarce could feed t!e lam%s

#!ose milkless mot!ers %utted t!em,

Or w!o were or(!aned of t!eir dams.

T!e lam%s at!irst for mot!er+s milk

Filled all t!e (lace wit! (iteous sounds*

T!eir mot!ers+ %ones made w!ite for miles

T!e (astureless wet (asture rounds.

ay after day, ni!t after ni!t,

From lam% to lam% t!e s!e(!erds went,

#it! tea(ots for t!e %leatin mout!s

Instead of nature+s nouris!ment.

T!e little s!i&erin a(in t!ins

Soon knew t!e ste( t!at %rou!t t!em aid,

)nd fondled t!e (rotectin !and,

)nd ru%%ed it wit! a woolly !ead.

T!en, as t!e days wa8ed on to weeks,

It was a (retty si!t to see

T!ese lam%s wit! frisky !eads and tails

Ski((in and lea(in on t!e lea,

Bleatin in tender, trustful tones,

Restin on rocky cra or mound,

)nd followin t!e %elo&ed feet

T!at once !ad sou!t for t!em and found.

T!ese &ery s!e(!erds of t!eir flocks,

T!ese lo&in lam%s so meek to (lease,

)re wort!y of recordin words

)nd !onor in t!eir due derees*

So I mi!t li&e a !undred years,

)nd roam from strand to forein strand,

-et not foret t!is flooded s(rin

)nd scarce'sa&ed lam%s of #estmoreland.

) BIRT0)-.

2y !eart is like a sinin %ird

#!ose nest is in a watered s!oot

2y !eart is like an a((le'tree

#!ose %ou!s are %ent wit! t!ick'set fruit

2y !eart is like a rain%ow s!ell

T!at (addles in a !alcyon sea

2y !eart is ladder t!an all t!ese

Because my lo&e is come to me.

Raise me a dais of silk and down

0an it wit! &air and (ur(le dyes

/ar&e it in do&es and (omeranates,

)nd (eacocks wit! a !undred eyes

#ork it in old and sil&er ra(es,

In lea&es and sil&er fleurs'de'lys

Because t!e %irt!day of my life

Is come, my lo&e is come to me.