Reely's Poetry Blog

by JOHN CLARE (1793-1864)

What is song's eternity?
   Come and see.
Can it noise and bustle be?
   Come and see.
Praises sung or praises said
   Can it be?
Wait awhile and these are dead
   Sigh, sigh;
Be they high or lowly bred
   They die.

What is song's eternity?
   Come and see.
Melodies of earth and sky,
   Here they be.
Song once sung to Adam's ears
   Can it be?
Ballads of six thousand years
   Thrive, thrive;
Songs awaken with the spheres
   Alive.

Mighty songs that miss decay,
   What are they?
Crowds and cities pass away
   Like a day.
Books are out and books are read;
   What are they?
Years will lay them with the dead
   Sigh, sigh;
Trifles unto nothing wed,
   They die.

Dreamers, mark the honey bee;
   Mark the tree
Where the blue cap "tootle tee"
   Sings a glee
Sung to Adam and to Eve
   Here they be.
When floods covered every bough,
   Noah's ark
Heard that ballad singing now;
   Hark, hark,

"Tootle tootle tootle tee"
   Can it be
Pride and fame must shadows be?
   Come and see
Every season owns her own;
   Bird and bee
Sing creation's music on;
   Nature's glee
Is in every mood and tone
   Eternity.