May and Death / Robert Browning

May and Death

I wish that when you died last May,
    Charles, there had died along with you
Three parts of spring's delightful things;
    Ay, and, for me, the fourth part too.

A foolish thought, and worse, perhaps!
    There must be many a pair of friends
Who, arm in arm, deserve the warm
    Moon-births and the long evening-ends.

So, for their sakes, be May still May!
    Let their new time, as mine of old,
Do all it did for me: I bid
    Sweet sights and sounds throng manifold.

Only, one little sight, one plant,
    Woods have in May, that starts up green
Save a sole streak which, so to speak.
    Is spring's blood, spilt its leaves between,—

That, they might spare; a certain wood
    Might miss the plant; their loss were small:
But I,— whene'er the leaf grows there,
    Its drop comes from my heart, that's all.

~~

Robert Browning (1812-1889), 1857

from Dramatis Personae,  1864

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

Robert Browning biography

"May and Death" read by Brad Croft. Courtesy usedbuyer.

Home Thoughts, from Abroad / Robert Browning

Home Thoughts, from Abroad 

Oh, to be in England
Now that April's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brush-wood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England — now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows —
Hark! where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops — at the bent spray's edge —
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower,
— Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

~~
Robert Browning (1812-1889)
from Dramatic Romances and Lyrics, 1845 

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

Robert Browning biography

"Home thoughts from Abroad" read by Arthur L. Wood.

Among the Rocks / Robert Browning

Among the Rocks

Oh, good gigantic smile o’ the brown old earth,
      This autumn morning! How he sets his bones
To bask i’ the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet
For the ripple to run over in its mirth;
      Listening the while, where on the heap of stones
The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.

That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;
      Such is life’s trial, as old earth smiles and knows.
If you loved only what were worth your love,
Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:
      Make the low nature better by your throes!
Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!

~~
Robert Browning (1812-1889)
from Dramatis Personae, 1864 

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

Robert Browning biography

"Among the Rocks" read by Ghizela Rowe. Courtesy Ghizela Rowe - Topic.