The complete poetical works and letters of John Keats/At Teignmouth

by John Keats

For other versions of this work, see Here all the summer could I stay.

At Teignmouth

Sent as part of a letter to Haydon, written from Teignmouth, March 21, 1818. 'I have enjoyed the most delightful walks these three fine days beautiful enough to make me content here all the summer could I stay.'

Here all the summer could I stay,
For there 's Bishop's teign
And King's teign
And Coomb at the clear teign head—
Where close by the stream
You may have your cream
All spread upon barley bread.

There 's arch Brook
And there 's larch Brook
Both turning many a mill;
And cooling the drouth
Of the salmon's mouth
And fattening his silver gill.

There is Wild wood,
A Mild hood
To the sheep on the lea o' the down,
Where the golden furze
With its green, thin spurs,
Doth catch at the maiden's gown.

There is Newton marsh
With its spear grass harsh—
A pleasant summer level
Where the maidens sweet
Of the Market Street,
Do meet in the dusk to revel.

There 's the Barton rich
With dyke and ditch
And hedge for the thrush to live in;
And the hollow tree
For the buzzing bee,
And a bank for the wasp to hive in.

And O, and O
The daisies blow
And the primroses are waken'd,
And the violets white
Sit in silver plight,
And the green bud 's as long as the spike end.

Then who would go
Into dark Soho,
And chatter with dack'd hair'd critics,
When he can stay
For the new-mown hay,
And startle the dappled Prickets?