PoemOnPastoralPoetry

poemonpastoralpoetry

hail,poesie!thounymphreserv'd!

inchaseo'thee,whatcrowdshaeswerv'd

fraecommonsense,orsunkenerv'd

'mangheapso'clavers:

andoch!o'eraftthyjoeshaestarv'd,

'mida'thyfavours!

say,lassie,why,thytrainamang,

whileloudthetrump'sheroicclang,

andsockorbuskinskelpalang

todeathormarriage;

scarceanehastriedtheshepherd—sang

butwi'miscarriage?

inhomer'scraftjockmiltonthrives;

eschylus'penwillshakespearedrives;

weepope,theknurlin',tillhimrives

horatianfame;

inthysweetsang,barbauld,survives

evensappho'sflame.

butthee,theocritus,whamatches?

they'renoherd'sballats,maro'scatches;

squirepopebutbuskshisskinklin'patches

o'heathentatters:

ipassbyhunders,namelesswretches,

thatapetheirbetters.

inthisbrawageo'witandlear,

willnanetheshepherd'swhistlemair

blawsweetlyinitsnativeair,

andruralgrace;

and,wi'thefar-fam'dgrecian,share

arivalplace?

yes!thereisane—ascottishcallan!

there'sane;comeforrit,honestallan!

thouneednajoukbehintthehallan,

achielsaeclever;

theteetho'timemaygnawtantallan,

butthou'sforever.

thoupaintsauldnaturetothenines,

inthysweetcaledonianlines;

naegowdenstreamthro'myrtletwines,

wherephilomel,

whilenightlybreezessweepthevines,

hergriefswilltell!

ingowanyglensthyburniestrays,

wherebonielassesbleachtheirclaes,

ortrotsbyhazellyshawsandbraes,

wi'hawthornsgray,

whereblackbirdsjointheshepherd'slays,

atcloseo'day.

thyrurallovesarenature'ssel';