The Deserted Village
Goldsmith, Oliver
: Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain,
: Where health and plenty cheer'd the labouring swain,
: Where smiling Spring its earliest visit paid,
: And parting Summer's lingering blooms delay'd;
: Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease,
: Seats of my youth, when every sport could please:
: How often have I loiter'd o'er thy green,
: Where humble happiness endear'd each scene!
: How often have I paused on every charm,
: The shelter'd cot, the cultivated farm,
: The never-failing brook, the busy mill,
: The decent church that topp'd the neighbouring hill;
: The hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade,
: For talking age and whispering lovers made!
: How often have I bless'd the coming day,
: When toil, remitting, lent its turn to play,
: And all the village train, from labour free,
: Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree!
: While many a pastime circled in the shade,
: The young contending as the old survey'd;
: And many a gambol frolick'd o'er the ground,
: And sleights of art and feats of strength went round;
: And still, as each repeated pleasure tired,
: Succeeding sports the mirthful band inspired: The dancing pair that simply sought renown,
: By holding out to tire each other down;
: The swain mistrustless of his smutted face,
: While secret laughter titter'd round the place;
: The bashful virgin's side-long looks of love;
: The matron's glance, that would those looks reprove.
: These were thy charms, sweet village! sports like these,
: With sweet succession, taught e'en toil to please;
: These round thy bowers their cheerful influence shed;
: These were thy charms-but all these charms are fled.
: Sweet smiling village, loveliest of the lawn,
: Thy sports are fled, and all thy charms withdrawn;
: Amidst thy bowers the tyrant's hand is seen,
: And Desolation saddens all thy green:
: One only master grasps the ...
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