"Oh! to Be in England Now That April's There"

Robert Browning

Robert Browning (1812–1889)

Vol. 42, pp. 1068-1074 of The Harvard Classics

Everyone knows the pangs of homesickness in the spring. Even bright, sparkling Italy could not wean Browning's affection from the green hedgerows of misty England.

Home-thoughts, from Abroad

O, TO be in England

Now that April’s there,

And whoever wakes in England

Sees, some morning, unaware,

That the lowest boughs and the brushwood 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 blossom’d 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!

Home-thoughts, from the Sea

NOBLY, nobly Cape Saint Vincent to the North-west died away;

Sunset ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into Cadiz Bay;

Bluish ’mid the burning water, full in face Trafalgar lay;

In the dimmest North-east distance dawn’d Gibraltar grand and gray;

‘Here and here did England help me: how can I help England?’—say,

Whoso turns as I, this evening, turn to God to praise and pray,

While Jove’s planet rises yonder, silent over Africa.

Parting at Morning

ROUND the cape of a sudden came the sea,

And the sun look’d over the mountain’s rim:

And straight was a path of gold for him,

And the need of a world of men for me.

The Lost Mistress

ALL’S over, then: does truth sound bitter

  As one at first believes?

Hark, ’tis the sparrows’ good-night twitter

  About your cottage eaves!

And the leaf-buds on the vine are woolly,

  I noticed that, to-day;

One day more bursts them open fully

  —You know the red turns gray.

To-morrow we meet the same then, dearest?

  May I take your hand in mine?

Mere friends are we,—well, friends the merest

  Keep much that I resign:

For each glance of the eye so bright and black,

  Though I keep with heart’s endeavour,—

Your voice, when you wish the snowdrops back,

  Though it stay in my soul for ever!

Yet I will but say what mere friends say,

  Or only a thought stronger;

I will hold your hand but as long as all may,

  Or so very little longer!

The Last Ride Together

I SAID—Then, dearest, since ’tis so,

Since now at length my fate I know,

Since nothing all my love avails,

Since all, my life seem’d meant for, fails,

  Since this was written and needs must be—

My whole heart rises up to bless

Your name in pride and thankfulness!

Take back the hope you gave,—I claim

Only a memory of the same,

—And this beside, if you will not blame;

  Your leave for one more last ride with me.

My mistress bent that brow of hers,

Those deep dark eyes where pride demurs

When pity would be softening through,

Fix’d me a breathing-while or two

  With life or death in the balance: right!

The blood replenish’d me again;

My last thought was at least not vain:

I and my mistress, side by side

Shall be together, breathe and ride,

So, one day more am I deified.

  Who knows but the world may end to-night?

Hush! if you saw some western cloud

All billowy-bosom’d, over-bow’d

By many benedictions—sun’s

And moon’s and evening-star’s at once—

  And so, you, looking and loving best,

Conscious grew, your passion drew

Cloud, sunset, moonrise, star-shine too,

Down on you, near and yet more near,

Till flesh must fade for heaven was here!—

Thus leant she and linger’d—joy and fear!

  Thus lay she a moment on my breast.

Then we began to ride. My soul

Smooth’d itself out, a long-cramp’d scroll

Freshening and fluttering in the wind.

Past hopes already lay behind.

  What need to strive with a life awry?

Had I said that, had I done this,

So might I gain, so might I miss.

Might she have loved me? just as well

She might have hated, who can tell!

Where had I been now if the worst befell?

  And here we are riding, she and I.

Fail I alone, in words and deeds?

Why, all men strive and who succeeds?

We rode; it seem’d my spirit flew,

Saw other regions, cities new,

  As the world rush’d by on either side.

I thought,—All labour, yet no less

Bear up beneath their unsuccess.

Look at the end of work, contrast

The petty done, the undone vast,

This present of theirs with the hopeful past!

  I hoped she would love me; here we ride.

What hand and brain went ever pair’d?

What heart alike conceived and dared?

What act proved all its thought had been?

What will but felt the fleshly screen?

  We ride and I see her bosom heave.

There’s many a crown for who can reach.

Ten lines, a statesman’s life in each!

The flag stuck on a heap of bones,

A soldier’s doing! what atones?

They scratch his name on the Abbey-stones.

  My riding is better, by their leave.

What does it all mean, poet? Well,

Your brains beat into rhythm, you tell

What we felt only; you express’d

You hold things beautiful the best,

  And pace them in rhyme so, side by side.

’Tis something, nay ’tis much: but then,

Have you yourself what’s best for men?

Are you—poor, sick, old ere your time—

Nearer one whit your own sublime

Than we who never have turn’d a rhyme?

  Sing, riding’s a joy! For me, I ride.

And you, great sculptor—so, you gave

A score of years to Art, her slave,

And that’s your Venus, whence we turn

To yonder girl that fords the burn!

  You acquiesce, and shall I repine?

What, man of music, you grown gray

With notes and nothing else to say,

Is this your sole praise from a friend,

‘Greatly his opera’s strains intend,

Put in music we know how fashions end!’

  I gave my youth: but we ride, in fine.

Who knows what’s fit for us? Had fate

Proposed bliss here should sublimate

My being—had I sign’d the bond—

Still one must lead some life beyond,

  Have a bliss to die with, dim-descried.

This foot once planted on the goal,

This glory-garland round my soul,

Could I descry such? Try and test!

I sink back shuddering from the quest

Earth being so good, would heaven seem best?

  Now, heaven and she are beyond this ride.

And yet—she has not spoke so long!

What if heaven be that, fair and strong

At life’s best, with our eyes upturn’d

Whither life’s flower is first discern’d,

  We, fix’d so, ever should so abide?

What if we still ride on, we two

With life for ever old yet new,

Changed not in kind but in degree,

The instant made eternity,—

And heaven just prove that I and she

  Ride, ride together, for ever ride?

Pippa’s Song

THE YEAR’S at the spring,

And day’s at the morn;

Morning’s at seven;

The hill-side’s dew-pearl’d;

The lark’s on the wing; 5

The snail’s on the thorn;

God’s in His heaven—

All’s right with the world!

You’ll Love Me Yet

YOU’LL love me yet!—and I can tarry

Your love’s protracted growing:

June rear’d that bunch of flowers you carry,

From seeds of April’s sowing.

I plant a heartful now: some seed

At least is sure to strike,

And yield—what you’ll not pluck indeed,

Not love, but, may be, like.

You’ll look at least on love’s remains,

A grave’s one violet:

Your look?—that pays a thousand pains.

What’s death? You’ll love me yet!

My Last Duchess

Ferrara

THAT’S my last Duchess painted on the wall,

Looking as if she were alive. I call

That piece a wonder, now: Frà Pandolf’s hands

Worked busily a day, and there she stands.

Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said

“Frà Pandolf” by design, for never read

Strangers like you that pictured countenance,

The depth and passion of its earnest glance,

But to myself they turned (since none puts by

The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)

And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,

How such a glance came there; so, not the first

Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not

Her husband’s presence only, called that spot

Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek: perhaps

Frà Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps

Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint

Must never hope to reproduce the faint

Half-flush that dies along her throat:” such stuff

Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough

For calling up that spot of joy. She had

A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad.

Too easily impressed: she liked whate’er

She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.

Sir, ’twas all one! My favor at her breast,

The dropping of the daylight in the West,

The bough of cherries some officious fool

Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule

She rode with round the terrace—all and each

Would draw from her alike the approving speech,

Or blush, at least. She thanked men,—good! but thanked

Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked

My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name

With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame

This sort of trifling? Even had you skill

In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will

Quite clear to such an one, and say, “Just this

Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,

Or there exceed the mark”—and if she let

Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set

Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse,

—E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose

Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt,

Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without

Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;

Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands

As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet

The company below, then. I repeat,

The Count your master’s known munificence

Is ample warrant that no just pretence

Of mine for dowry will be disallowed;

Though his fair daughter’s self, as I avowed

At starting, is my object. Nay, we’ll go

Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though,

Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity,

Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!