Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. V. Browning to Rupert Brooke
Andrew Lang (18441912)The Old Love and the New
H
Across the enamelled plain,
And deemed she was the fairest bride
And I the fondest swain!
How oft with her I’ve cast me down
Beneath the odorous limes,
How often twined her daisy crown,
In the glad careless times!
Where still we met of yore,
But I have found another sweet
Beside the salt sea-shore:
With sea-daisies her locks I wreathe,
With sea-grass bind her hands,
And salt and sharp’s the air we breathe
Beside the long sea-sands!
And Willow! was her song;
Sea-green her eyes, my lady new,
And of the East her tongue.
And she that’s worsted in the strife,
A southland lass is she;
But she that’s won—the Neuk o’ Fife,
It is her ain countrie!
These kindly words of yore,—
“Over!” “Hard in!” “Leg-bye!” “No ball!”
Ah now we say “Two more;”
And of the “Like” and “Odd” we shout,
Till swains and maidens scoff;
“The fact is, Cricket’s been bowled out
By that eternal Golf!”