The Boy Remembers his Father

From my first reading of this I loved its gentleness as it mixes the closeness of father and son with love of Nature. There is sadness too of course but the field mice in Carhan Wood give the piece a universal tranquillity. The poet had a skill with opening lines and, "the lips of laburnum drool fire", snares one immediately.

The lips of laburnum drool fire and soon do the June days pass
But I will always remember the swish of your feet through the grass.

O the swish of your feet through the grass and my bare toes at your side
When the sunlight left the sallies and the dancing mayflies died.

When the dancing mayflies died their dance was merry and good
You were a man and I was a boy walking through Carhan Wood
While the field mice sang in the hay
And they cloaked their songs in silence when I ran to where they lay.

When I ran to where they lay my bare feet noised like guns
You laughed and you called me away with, "Don't frighten the timid ones."

"Don't frighten the timid ones," and now you have frightened me
I'm always calling your name between the hill and the sea
And through the quiet town;
Where they tell me they took you away in a coffin of silver and brown.

In a coffin of silver and brown while you lay lonely and still
But I know you're hiding somewhere between the sea and the hill

So between the sea and the hill I will hide in the lushy grass
Where are you, O where are you? I am waiting until you pass.
I am waiting until you pass.

St. Finan's Bay