A Reed by the River/The Low-Shore Lass
THE LOW-SHORE LASS
Flower of the mint-stalk, tassel of the grass,
Bent and brushed the knees of her—the Low-Shore lass;
Herbs within her homespun, arms full, too—
Rosemary, marjoram, lavender and rue.
All things that keep the earth wholesome, young and sweet
Fell about the shore lass and brushed her bare feet.
Bent and brushed the knees of her—the Low-Shore lass;
Herbs within her homespun, arms full, too—
Rosemary, marjoram, lavender and rue.
All things that keep the earth wholesome, young and sweet
Fell about the shore lass and brushed her bare feet.
Brake a runner through the reeds at a fearful pace,
Sprang among the fair herbs, fell upon his face—
"Now in mercy cover me!—Hark! They run me down!
Weave, maid, above me green stalks and brown!
An' they question, Hast thou seen any pass the way?
For my life, and in God's name, tell them nay!"
Sprang among the fair herbs, fell upon his face—
"Now in mercy cover me!—Hark! They run me down!
Weave, maid, above me green stalks and brown!
An' they question, Hast thou seen any pass the way?
For my life, and in God's name, tell them nay!"
Dim mist and white sail, grim wall and brown;
Spires burning sunwise in the gray sea town;
Beating hoof and ringing spur; scarlet breaking through,
Sabre gleam—and red-coat, and panting steed, too.
Knee-high in mint flowers stood a shore lass,
Down unto the little waves tossed her orchard grass,
Shaken steed and tight rein, and fierce faces bent—
"Maid, hast? thou a runner seen, and which way he went!
Spires burning sunwise in the gray sea town;
Beating hoof and ringing spur; scarlet breaking through,
Sabre gleam—and red-coat, and panting steed, too.
Knee-high in mint flowers stood a shore lass,
Down unto the little waves tossed her orchard grass,
Shaken steed and tight rein, and fierce faces bent—
"Maid, hast? thou a runner seen, and which way he went!
"A prisoner at large we seek; a lord of France is he"—
"Then fights he with my countrymen!" the slim maid, spake she;
"So, had I seen thy lord of France, or knew I his name,
Thinkest I should tell to thee whither way he came?
I am but a shore lass—" Oh, smiled and dimpled she—
"But whoso fights for my good land, he fights for me.
"I spied, sirs, but a sailor lad"—she gave smile for frown—
"Who got him upward with the tide, and then he got him down."
"The sailor lad! Now hasten, lass! Whence hath he gone?
Mayhap he spied our prisoner all in the early dawn!"
She gathered the sweet lavender from out her homespun gown—
"He got him up, sirs, with the tide, and then he got him down.
And this is all, for of thy war what might a shore lass know?
Yet take these stalks, good sirs, that from an English bush did grow."
"Then fights he with my countrymen!" the slim maid, spake she;
"So, had I seen thy lord of France, or knew I his name,
Thinkest I should tell to thee whither way he came?
I am but a shore lass—" Oh, smiled and dimpled she—
"But whoso fights for my good land, he fights for me.
"I spied, sirs, but a sailor lad"—she gave smile for frown—
"Who got him upward with the tide, and then he got him down."
"The sailor lad! Now hasten, lass! Whence hath he gone?
Mayhap he spied our prisoner all in the early dawn!"
She gathered the sweet lavender from out her homespun gown—
"He got him up, sirs, with the tide, and then he got him down.
And this is all, for of thy war what might a shore lass know?
Yet take these stalks, good sirs, that from an English bush did grow."
Doffed plume and dewy herbs; passed the fierce face;
Rang the spur and beat the hoof hard on their chase;
Gold sun upon the spires, crimson on the grass.
Knee-high in mint flowers stood the shore lass;
Red-coat and sword hilt gleaming in the sun
Faded from her watching sight, one by one.
Rang the spur and beat the hoof hard on their chase;
Gold sun upon the spires, crimson on the grass.
Knee-high in mint flowers stood the shore lass;
Red-coat and sword hilt gleaming in the sun
Faded from her watching sight, one by one.
Up sprang that sailor lad, upon his knee he bent—
"I am he, the lord of France—prisoned, hunted, spent!
Thou hast saved me, maiden sweet, thine my life shall be,
And he who for thy country fought, fights now for thee!"
Fell a kiss upon her hand; wind shook the grass
(Fair as any water-bloom, that Low-Shore lass)
Fled the runner through the leaves; naught was there to show—
Mint-stalk and lavender tossing to and fro,
Yellow-belted honey-bees in the sun that pass,
And—white arm shading her sweet eyes—a Low-Shore lass.
"I am he, the lord of France—prisoned, hunted, spent!
Thou hast saved me, maiden sweet, thine my life shall be,
And he who for thy country fought, fights now for thee!"
Fell a kiss upon her hand; wind shook the grass
(Fair as any water-bloom, that Low-Shore lass)
Fled the runner through the leaves; naught was there to show—
Mint-stalk and lavender tossing to and fro,
Yellow-belted honey-bees in the sun that pass,
And—white arm shading her sweet eyes—a Low-Shore lass.
Mint-stalk and marjoram, lavender and rue,
Whither passed the slim maid who once plucked you?
Yonder peers her pictured face—the fair dame and tall—
Next a gallant lord of France, in the old hall,
Next a gallant lord of France who, 'mid the orchard grass.
Won, all in a fleeting dawn, the Low-Shore lass,
Whither passed the slim maid who once plucked you?
Yonder peers her pictured face—the fair dame and tall—
Next a gallant lord of France, in the old hall,
Next a gallant lord of France who, 'mid the orchard grass.
Won, all in a fleeting dawn, the Low-Shore lass,