dots-menu
×

Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  667. Dream-Pedlary

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Thomas Lovell Beddoes. 1803–1849

667. Dream-Pedlary

IF there were dreams to sell, 
    What would you buy? 
Some cost a passing bell; 
    Some a light sigh, 
That shakes from Life’s fresh crown         5
Only a rose-leaf down. 
If there were dreams to sell, 
Merry and sad to tell, 
And the crier rang the bell, 
    What would you buy?  10
 
A cottage lone and still, 
    With bowers nigh, 
Shadowy, my woes to still, 
    Until I die. 
Such pearl from Life’s fresh crown  15
Fain would I shake me down. 
Were dreams to have at will, 
This would best heal my ill, 
    This would I buy.