Poems Written at Teignmouth（一）

    "I have enjoyed the most delightful¹ walks these three fine days， beautiful enough to make me content."

    Here all the summer could I stay，

    For there's a Bishop's Teign，

    And King's Teign，

    And Coomb at the clear Teign's head；

    Where， close by the stream，

    You may have your cream，

    All spread upon barley² bread.

    There's Arch Brook³，

    And there's Larch⁴ Brook，-

    Both turning many a mill；

    And cooling the drouth

    Of the salmon's mouth，

    And fattening⁵ his silver gill.

    There's a wild wood，

    A mild hood⁶，

    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's Newton Marsh⁷，

    With its spear-grass harsh，-

    A pleasant summer level；

    Where the maidens⁸ sweet

    Of the Market street，

    Do meet in the dark to revel⁹.

    There's Barton rich

    With dyke¹⁰ and ditch，

    And hedge for the thrush to live in.

    And the hollow tree

    For the buzzing bee，

    And a bank for the wasp¹¹ to hive in.

    And O and O

    The daisies blow，

    And the primroses¹² are waken'd；

    And the violets white

    Sit in silver light，

    And the green buds are long in the spike¹³ end.

    Then who would go

    Into dark Soho，

    And chatter¹⁴ with dank-hair'd critics，

    When he can stay

    For the new- mown hay，

    And startle the dappled crickets？