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Little masterpieces of English poetry (1905)
Little masterpieces of English poetry - 1905 Author:Henry Van Dyke Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: GLENKINDIE About Glenkindie and his man, A false ballant hath long been writ; Some bootless loon had written it, Upon a bootless plan: But I have found the tr... more »ue at last, And here it is, so hold it fast. 'T was made by a kind damosel Who loved him and his man right well. Glenkindie, best of harpers, came Unbidden to our town; And he was sad, and sad to see, For love had worn him down. It was love, as all men know, The love that brought him down, The hopeless love for the king's daughter, The dove that heir'd a crown. Now he wore not that collar of gold, His dress was forest green, His wondrous fair and rich mantel Had lost its silvery sheen. But still by his side walked Rafe, his boy, In goodly cramoisie: Of all the boys that ever I saw, The goodliest boy was he. O Rafe the page! O Rafe the page! Ye stole the heart frae me: O Rafe the page! O Rafe the page! I wonder where ye be; We ne'er may see Glenkindie more, But may we never see thee ? 30 Glenkindie came within the hall, We set him on the dais, And gave him bread, and gave him wine, The best in all the place. 34 We set for him the guests' high chair, And spread the naperie: Our Dame herself would serve for him, And I for Rafe, perdie! 38 But down he sat on a low, low stool And thrust his long legs out, And leant his back to the high chair, And turn'd his harp about. He turn'd it round, he strok'd the strings, He touch'd each tirling-pin, He put his mouth to the sounding-board And breath'd his breath therein. 46And Rafe sat over against his face, And look'd at him wistfullie: I almost grat ere he began, They were so sad to see. s The very first stroke he strack that day We all came crowding near; And the second stroke he s...« less