by Robert Louis Stevenson
I will make you brooches and toys for your delight
Of bird-song at morning and star-shine at night.
I will make a palace fit for you and me,
Of green days in forests and blue days at sea.
I will make my kitchen, and you shall keep your room,
Where white flows the river and bright blows the broom,
And you shall wash your linen and keep your body white
In rainfall at morning and dewfall at night.
And this shall be for music when no one else is near,
The fine song for singing, the rare song to hear!
That only I remember, and only you admire,
Of the broad road that stretches and the roadside fire.
I found this poem by accident in the bookshop the other day, and fell in love with it so completely that I had to scrawl it on my arm to copy into my notebook later, so as not to forget it. I am still a little surprised, though, that I never read it before. I have read anthologies of Stevenson poetry and enjoyed them, but they were always more children's poems. How come this one was left out? It makes me wonder what other poetry he wrote that I have not read. I will try to find out.
I remember once reading an odd children's book about a group of siblings who go to stay with their eccentric aunt for the summer. The younger sister begins to repeat this poem in what the author indicates is an intolerably smarmy voice, and the aunt flies into a temporary rage, crying out that anyone who dares to recite poetry that way should have his or her eyes pecked out by seagulls.
ReplyDelete. . .
Anyway, I'm glad that I can finally leave comments here now.
I love this poem. I've always loved this poem... it's so magical. ^_^
ReplyDeleteBrilliant. I want to write like that.