Poems (Hardy)/In the garden
For works with similar titles, see In the garden.
IN THE GARDEN
ONCE I lay dozing on a summer dayBeneath an oak around whose shadows sweptThe garden paths my neighbor owns for me,A "Phaedo" fallen from my drowsy hand,And lying open on the clipped cool grass.From daughters of his house, two fairy girlsWhose infant daring makes their ways a joyTo childless men like me, I heard,—or dreamedI heard,—much cunning wisdom there in this:
"Now, Am'ranth, look! This is a golden dish—"(She showed an acorn's empty grizzled cup)—"Like that we read of in the book at homeAbout the king's great dinner in the hall;And I will bring us honey from the rose,The red rose by the hedge,—that is the best,—A golden dish for you, and one for me."And then the talking fairy tiptoe stoodTo spill its dewdrops in her acorn-cup
Thus led to fairy-land, spoke in its loreThe other little maid and turned and laughed:"And I will get the bread, white bread and sweet,Upon some pretty plates for you and me."(Petals white, I saw, of roses, laid in heapsOn round nasturtium leaves of tender green.)
"This book,"—the honey damsel thus went on,—"'Tis not a pretty book, he will not care;This book will make a table wide enough."And here she spread her fairy meal of bread,And set her bowls of honey on the words,— His very words, O Plato,—his who drankThe hemlock! But on I drowsed to hearThe feast proceed, half-minded, too, to join;Yet, fearing I might break the lovely spellAnd turn their honey back to dew, I sleptWith eyelids circumspect."That hollyhockShall be the tall man with the sword that standsBehind the king; I am the king, Am'ranth,And you may be the queen.""You have no crown,Ellice; how can you be a king at all?"
"Well, I can make one of this white bell-vine,And here is one for you; now let us eat."But lo, the wind had spilt their honey on my book,And their ambrosial bread about the grass.
And so they gayly laughed and said, "Let's playSome other thing," and ran away. And nowI hear their laughter, sweeter than the brookThat echoes with it from the garden trees.