I am a Witch, and a kind old Witch, <br />There's many a one knows that-- <br />Alone I live in my little dark house <br />With Pillycock, my cat. <br />A girl came running through the night, <br />When all the winds blew free:-- <br />"O mother, change a young man's heart <br />That will not look on me. <br />O mother, brew a magic mead <br />To stir his heart so cold." <br />"Just as you will, my dear," said I; <br />"And I thank you for your gold." <br />So here am I in the wattled copse <br />Where all the twigs are brown, <br />To find what I need to brew my mead <br />As the dark of night comes down. <br />Primroses in my old hands, <br />Sweet to smell and young, <br />And violets blue that spring in the grass <br />Wherever the larks have sung. <br />With celandines as heavenly crowns <br />Yellowy-gold and bright; All of these, <br />O all of these, <br />Shall bring her Love's delight. <br />But orchids growing snakey green <br />Speckled dark with blood, <br />And fallen leaves that curled and shrank <br />And rotted in the mud, <br />With blistering nettles burning harsh <br />And blinding thorns above; <br />All of these, O all of these <br />Shall bring the pains of Love. <br />Shall bring the pains of Love, my Puss, <br />That cease not night or day, <br />The bitter rage, nought can assuage <br />Till it bleeds the heart away. <br />Pillycock mine, my hands are full <br />My pot is on the fire. <br />Purr, my pet, this fool shall get <br />Her fool's desire.<br /><br />Francis Macdonald Cornford<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-witch-in-the-copse-2/
