Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936). Verse: 1885–1918. 1922.
Merrow Down
A grassy track to-day it is—
An hour out of Guildford town,
Above the river Wey it is.
The ancient Britons dressed and rode
To watch the dark Phœnicians bring
Their goods along the Western Road.
To hold their racial talks and such—
To barter beads for Whitby jet,
And tin for gay shell torques and such.
(When bison used to roam on it)
Did Taffy and her Daddy climb
That Down, and had their home on it.
And made a swamp where Bramley stands;
And bears from Shere would come and look
For Taffimai where Shamley stands.
Was more than six times bigger then;
And all the Tribe of Tegumai
They cut a noble figure then!
Who cut that figure, none remain,—
On Merrow Down the cuckoos cry—
The silence and the sun remain.
And hearts unwounded sing again,
Comes Taffy dancing through the fern
To lead the Surrey spring again.
And golden elf-locks fly above;
Her eyes are bright as diamonds
And bluer than the sky above.
Unfearing, free and fair she flits,
And lights her little damp-wood smoke
To show her Daddy where she flits.
So far she cannot call to him,
Comes Tegumai alone to find
The daughter that was all to him!