ONE spring as I went walking By budding leaf and thorn To see the sun a-shining Upon an Easter morn; My hound she gambolled by me, Oft hunting in her play Some small thing in the hedges She found upon her way, How splendid was her going How happy was her joy, I felt I could not chide her Nor dared her play destroy. Yet oft I called "Come hither, I fear lest thou displace Some hidden beast or reptile All savage for the chase." I scarce had spoken to her And turned again for town When we were in the shadows And fog and mist came down. When from the gloom and darkness Some lion voice did roar; He sprung upon our pathway To stand our road before. I cried in vain contention, "O, let us go way," But to our further progress The red cat stood at bay. My hound would not obey me So brave and fine was she But sprang upon the wild beast To fight for liberty. Oh, how my heart was beating So full of grief and fear At thunder of the battle That fell upon my ear. Oh, great and splendid fighting Like to the times of Fionn, Alas! uneven chances, My dear one could not win; And sudden to a silence I opened eyes of pain, With face towards her foe still My faithful hound was slain. But she has left behind her A pup of splendid race, And he shall bound before me And take the other's place. So I can go a-walking 'Mid budding leaf and thorn To see the sun a-rising Upon an Easter morn. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SUNSET by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE CARD-DEALER by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE PROPHET by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN THE SLAVE MARKET by GORDON BOTTOMLEY FROM THE GRASS by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON |