THE merrymaking's over <br />The riverside is still, <br />The Sun, a radiant rover, <br />Gone down behind the hill. <br />The red Road goes awinding <br />Along the riverside; <br />The River, no man minding, <br />Winds on to meet the tide. <br />O Naiad of green places! <br />I pray you pause and say <br />How many pretty faces <br />Looked down on you to-day? <br />The River runs in silence <br />(A fern-frond is her load); <br />Just here and just a mile hence <br />She curves to kiss the road. <br />And now the kiss is over, <br />And now the tryst is done, <br />By flats of fern and clover <br />The River ripples on. <br />Again the Road turns to her, <br />Red-winding through the green; <br />The Road would pause and woo her, <br />But gray rocks stand between. <br />And here he rounds a boulder <br />And hurries to her side: <br />The River turns her shoulder; <br />She will not be his bride. <br />O fickle River, straying <br />Through green lands on and on, <br />A fern-tree heard you saying <br />'The Road will come anon.' <br />Not so, but you will waken <br />To lonely days and sore. <br />The Road a vow has taken <br />To play Love's fool no more. <br />On high the sunset lingers <br />With one still star above, <br />And there the merry singers <br />Sing silverly of Love. <br />And now in distance dewy <br />They halt awhile, and so <br />Wave hands with 'Coo-ee, Coo-ee!' <br />Ho, laggard down below!' <br />If she should cease to worry <br />And say, 'I love but you' — <br />'O hurry, hurry, hurry!' <br />And 'Adieu, Adieu, Adieu!' <br />This one last chance I give her <br />To lighten my heart's load, <br />And if she play the River <br />Then I shall prove the Road. <br />I caught her, heard her sighing, <br />And felt the moment's charm. . . . <br />'Tis sweet when day is dying <br />To walk so, arm in arm!<br /><br />Roderic Quinn<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-river-and-the-road/
