'Tis a dull sight <br />To see the year dying, <br />When winter winds <br />Set the yellow wood sighing: <br />Sighing, oh! sighing. <br /> <br />When such a time cometh, <br />I do retire <br />Into and old room <br />Beside a bright fire: <br />Oh, pile a bright fire! <br /> <br />And there I sit <br />Reading old things, <br />Of knights and lorn damsels, <br />While the wind sings— <br />Oh, drearily sings! <br /> <br />I never look out <br />Nor attend to the blast; <br />For all to be seen <br />Is the leaves falling fast: <br />Falling, falling! <br /> <br />But close at the hearth, <br />Like a cricket, sit I, <br />Reading of summer <br />And chivalry— <br />Gallant chivalry! <br /> <br />Then with an old friend <br />I talk of our youth! <br />How 'twas gladsome, but often <br />Foolish, forsooth: <br />But gladsome, gladsome! <br /> <br />Or to get merry <br />We sing some old rhyme, <br />That made the wood ring again <br />In summertime— <br />Sweet summertime! <br /> <br />Then go we to smoking, <br />Silent and snug: <br />Nought passes between us, <br />Save a brown jug— <br />Sometimes! <br /> <br />And sometimes a tear <br />Will rise in each eye, <br />Seeing the two old friends <br />So merrily— <br />So merrily! <br /> <br />And ere to bed <br />Go we, go we, <br />Down on the ashes <br />We kneel on the knee, <br />Praying together! <br /> <br />Thus, then, live I, <br />Till, 'mid all the gloom, <br />By heaven! the bold sun <br />Is with me in the room <br />Shining, shining! <br /> <br />Then the clouds part, <br />Swallow soaring between; <br />The spring is alive, <br />And the meadows are green! <br /> <br />I jump up, like mad, <br />Break the old pipe in twain, <br />And away to the meadows, <br />The meadows again!<br /><br />Edward Fitzgerald<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-meadows-in-spring/
