" METHINKS I PLAY AS I HAVE SEEN THEM 1)0
WHITSUN PASTORALS."
0- DArmas flute your longing, 0 Chloe turn your cheek The gleaners sing the Linus song, the girls play hide and seek Beauty and Youth go naked to tempt the lusty sun And in and out among the vines the little foxes run Shepherd and sheepdog seek the shade, drowsily hums the bee And Sappho's topmost apple drops in transport from the tree The black ewe snorts, the younglings stray to crop the upland turf The halcyon lulls the wave to rest, the sea-birds ride the surf Sweet sweet the whisper of the pine, the heifer's breath is sweet A babbling mountain spring at noon is the sweetest of the sweet Love leads the laughing Graces, the Graces lead the Hours And Love's bright skin is dappled with the pollen of the flowers Ciollas in the corn-shocks sing to the singing stream Pan's pipe is hushed, Silenus nods, the shag-haired Satyrs dream Narcissus sighs and drops his eyes, his name is writ in water Red poppies fall in swift surprise from dear Demeter's daughter And Chloe .flies yet faster and Daphnis makes pursuit Only in death desire shall fail and the singing stream be mute.
GEORGE RYLANDS. '
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