Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Charles Kingsley. 18191875740. The Sands of Dee
‘O MARY, go and call the cattle home, | |
And call the cattle home, | |
And call the cattle home, | |
Across the sands of Dee.’ | |
The western wind was wild and dark with foam, | 5 |
And all alone went she. | |
The western tide crept up along the sand, | |
And o’er and o’er the sand, | |
And round and round the sand, | |
As far as eye could see. | 10 |
The rolling mist came down and hid the land: | |
And never home came she. | |
‘O is it weed, or fish, or floating hair— | |
A tress of golden hair, | |
A drownèd maiden’s hair, | 15 |
Above the nets at sea?’ | |
Was never salmon yet that shone so fair | |
Among the stakes of Dee. | |
They row’d her in across the rolling foam, | |
The cruel crawling foam, | 20 |
The cruel hungry foam, | |
To her grave beside the sea. | |
But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home, | |
Across the sands of Dee. |