Sibylline Leaves (Coleridge)/An Ode to the Rain

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

AN ODE TO THE RAIN.

 

Composed before day-light, on the morning appointed for the departure of a
very worthy, but not very pleasant Visitor; whom it was feared the rain
might detain.

I.

I know it is dark; and though I have lain

Awake, as I guess, an hour or twain,
I have not once open'd the lids of my eyes,
But I lie in the dark, as a blind man lies.
Rain! that I lie listening to,
You're but a doleful sound at best:
I owe you little thanks, 'tis true,
For breaking thus my needful rest!
Yet if, as soon as it is light,
O Rain! you will but take your flight,
I'll neither rail, nor malice keep,
Tho' sick and sore for want of sleep:
But only now, for this one day,
Do go, dear Rain! do go away!

II.

O Rain! with your dull two-fold sound,

The clash hard by, and the murmur all round!
You know, if you know aught, that we,
Both night and day, but ill agree:
For days, and months, and almost years,
Have limp'd on thro' this vale of tears,
Since body of mine, and rainy weather,
Have liv'd on easy terms together.
Yet if, as soon as it is light,
O Rain! you will but take your flight,
Though you should come again to-morrow,
And bring with you both pain and sorrow;
Tho' stomach should sicken, and knees should swell—
I'll nothing speak of you but well.
But only now for this one day,
Do go, dear Rain! do go away!

III.

Dear Rain! I ne'er refus'd to say

You're a good creature in your way.
Nay, I could write a book myself,
Would fit a parson's lower shelf,
Shewing, how very good you are—
What then? sometimes it must be fair!

And if sometimes, why not to day?
Do go, dear Rain! do go away!

IV.

Dear Rain! if I've been cold and shy,

Take no offence! I'll tell you, why.
A dear old Friend e'en now is here,
And with him came my sister dear;
After long absence now first met,
Long months by pain and grief beset—
We three dear friends! in truth, we groan
Impatiently to be alone.
We three, you mark! and not one more!
The strong wish makes my spirit sore.
We have so much to talk about,
So many sad things to let out;
So many tears in our eye-corners,
Sitting like little Jacky Horners —
In short, as soon as it is day,
Do go, dear Rain! do go away.

V.

And this I'll swear to you, dear Rain!

Whenever you shall come again,

Be you as dull as e'er you cou'd
(And by the bye 'tis understood,
You're not so pleasant, as you're good),
Yet, knowing well your worth and place,
I'll welcome you with cheerful face;
And though you stay'd a week or more,
Were ten times duller than before;
Yet with kind heart, and right good will,
I'll sit and listen to you still;
Nor should you go away, dear Rain!
Uninvited to remain.
But only now, for this one day,
Do go, dear Rain! do go away.