Poems (Rossetti, 1901)/Songs in a Cornfield

by Christina Georgina Rossetti

SONGS IN A CORNFIELD.

A SONG in a cornfield
 Where corn begins to fall,
Where reapers are reaping,
 Reaping one, reaping all.
Sing pretty Lettice,
 Sing Rachel, sing May;
Only Marian cannot sing
 While her sweetheart's away.

Where is he gone to
 And why does he stay?
He came across the green sea
 But for a day,
Across the deep green sea
 To help with the hay.
His hair was curly yellow
 And his eyes were grey,
He laughed a merry laugh
 And said a sweet say.
Where is he gone to
 That he comes not home?
To-day or to-morrow
 He surely will come.
Let him haste to joy
 Lest he lag for sorrow
For one weeps to-day
 Who'll not weep to-morrow:

To-day she must weep
 For gnawing sorrow,
To-night she may sleep
 And not wake to-morrow.

May sang with Rachel
 In the waxing warm weather,
Lettice sang with them,
 They sang all together:—

"Take the wheat in your arm
 Whilst day is broad above,
Take the wheat to your bosom,
 But not a false false love  
 Out in the fields
  Summer heat gloweth,
 Out in the fields
  Summer wind bloweth,
 Out in the fields
  Summer friend showeth,
 Out in the fields
  Summer wheat groweth
But in the winter
 When summer heat is dead
And summer wind has veered
 And summer friend has fled,
Only summer wheat remameth,
 White cakes and bread.
Take the wheat, clasp the wheat
 That's food for maid and dove;
Take the wheat to your bosom,
 But not a false false love."

A silence of full noontide heat
 Grew on them at their toil:
The farmer's dog woke up from sleep,
 The green snake hid her coil
Where grass stood thickest; bird and beast
 Sought shadows as they could,
The reaping men and women paused
 And sat down where they stood;
They ate and drank and were refreshed,
 For rest from toil is good.

While the reapers took their ease,
 Their sickles lying by,
Rachel sang a second strain,
 And singing seemed to sigh:—

  "There goes the swallow—
  Could we but follow!
   Hasty swallow stay,
   Point us out the way;
Look back swallow, turn back swallow, stop swallow.

  "There went the swallow—
  Too late to follow:
   Lost our note of way,
   Lost our chance to-day;
Good bye swallow, sunny swallow, wise swallow.

  "After the swallow
  All sweet things follow:

   All things go their way,
   Only we must stay,
Must not follow; good bye swallow, good swallow."

Then listless Marian raised her head
 Among the nodding sheaves;
Her voice was sweeter than that voice;
 She sang like one who grieves:
Her voice was sweeter than its wont
 Among the nodding sheaves;
All wondered while they heard her sing
 Like one who hopes and grieves:—

 "Deeper than the hail can smite,
 Deeper than the frost can bite,
 Deep asleep through day and night,
   Our delight.

 "Now thy sleep no pang can break,
 No to-morrow bid thee wake,
 Not our sobs who sit and ache
   For thy sake.

 "Is it dark or light below?
 Oh, but is it cold like snow?
 Dost thou feel the green things grow
   Fast or slow?

 "Is it warm or cold beneath,
 Oh, but it is cold like death?
 Cold like death, without a breath,
   Cold like death?"

 If he comes to-day
  He will find her weeping;
 If he comes to-morrow
  He will find her sleeping;
 If he comes the next day,
  He'll not find her at all,
 He may tear his curling hair,
  Beat his breast and call.