LINES

lines

addressed,fromlondon,tosaraands.t.c.atbristol,

inthesummerof1796.

wasitsohardathing?ididbutask

afleetingholiday,alittleweek.

what,ifthejadedsteer,who,alldaylong,

hadbornetheheatandburthenoftheplough,

whenev'ningcame,andhersweetcoolinghour,

shouldseektowanderinaneighbourcopse,

wheregreenerherbagewav'd,orclearerstreams

invitedhimtoslakehisburningthirst?

themanwerecrabbedwhoshouldsayhimnay;

themanwerechurlishwhoshoulddrivehimthence.

ablessinglightuponyourworthyheads,

yehospitablepair!imaynotcome

tocatch,onclifden'sheights,thesummergale;

imaynotcometotastetheavonwave;

or,withmineeyeintentonredcliffetow'rs,

tomuseintearsonthatmysteriousyouth,

cruellyslighted,who,inevilhour,

shap'dhisadvent'rouscoursetolondonwalls!

complaint,begone!and,ominousthoughts,away!

takeup,mysong,takeupamerrierstrain;

foryetagain,andlo!fromavon'svales,

anotherminstrel注释标题“fromvaleswhereavonwinds,theminstrelcame.”coleridge'smonodyonchatterton.cometh.youthendear'd,

godandgoodangelsguidetheeonthyroad,

andgentlerfortunes'waitthefriendsilove!