For Izaak Walton

For Izaak Walton

WHAT trout shall coax the rod of yoreIn Itchen stream to dip?What lover of her banks restoreThat sweet Socratic lip?Old fishing and wishingAre over many a year.O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.Again the foamy shallows fill,The quiet clouds amass,And soft as bees by Catherine HillAt dawn the anglers pass,And follow the hollow,In boughs to disappear.O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.Nay, rise not now, nor with them takeOne silver-freckled fool!Thy sons to-day bring each an acheFor ancient arts to cool.But, father, lie ratherUnhurt and idle near;O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.While thought of thee to men is yetA sylvan playfellow,Ne’er by thy marble they forgetIn pious cheer to go.As air falls, the prayer fallsO’er kingly Winchester:O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

WHAT trout shall coax the rod of yoreIn Itchen stream to dip?What lover of her banks restoreThat sweet Socratic lip?Old fishing and wishingAre over many a year.O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.Again the foamy shallows fill,The quiet clouds amass,And soft as bees by Catherine HillAt dawn the anglers pass,And follow the hollow,In boughs to disappear.O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.Nay, rise not now, nor with them takeOne silver-freckled fool!Thy sons to-day bring each an acheFor ancient arts to cool.But, father, lie ratherUnhurt and idle near;O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.While thought of thee to men is yetA sylvan playfellow,Ne’er by thy marble they forgetIn pious cheer to go.As air falls, the prayer fallsO’er kingly Winchester:O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

WHAT trout shall coax the rod of yoreIn Itchen stream to dip?What lover of her banks restoreThat sweet Socratic lip?Old fishing and wishingAre over many a year.O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

WHAT trout shall coax the rod of yore

In Itchen stream to dip?

What lover of her banks restore

That sweet Socratic lip?

Old fishing and wishing

Are over many a year.

O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

Again the foamy shallows fill,The quiet clouds amass,And soft as bees by Catherine HillAt dawn the anglers pass,And follow the hollow,In boughs to disappear.O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

Again the foamy shallows fill,

The quiet clouds amass,

And soft as bees by Catherine Hill

At dawn the anglers pass,

And follow the hollow,

In boughs to disappear.

O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

Nay, rise not now, nor with them takeOne silver-freckled fool!Thy sons to-day bring each an acheFor ancient arts to cool.But, father, lie ratherUnhurt and idle near;O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

Nay, rise not now, nor with them take

One silver-freckled fool!

Thy sons to-day bring each an ache

For ancient arts to cool.

But, father, lie rather

Unhurt and idle near;

O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

While thought of thee to men is yetA sylvan playfellow,Ne’er by thy marble they forgetIn pious cheer to go.As air falls, the prayer fallsO’er kingly Winchester:O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.

While thought of thee to men is yet

A sylvan playfellow,

Ne’er by thy marble they forget

In pious cheer to go.

As air falls, the prayer falls

O’er kingly Winchester:

O hush thee, O hush thee! heart innocent and dear.


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