Rossetti Archive Textual Transcription

Document Title: Once a Week, Volume 2
Author: Bradbury and Evans (publisher)
Date of publication: 1859 Dec - 1860 June
Publisher: Bradbury & Evans
Printer: Bradley and Evans
Volume: 2 (first series)

The full Rossetti Archive record for this transcribed document is available.

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Note: In the column to the left of the poem, there is an etching by H.K. Browne, depicting lancers on horseback, riding and herding cattle towards a hill-top city.
A BORDER SONG.
  • To horse! For who would idly bide,
  • With a moon so round and clear?
  • 'Twill merrier be to-night to ride
  • Than hungry-eyed sit here.
  • “The board is bare,” my lady pleads,
  • And shall we fast perforce?
  • Never, while herd in England feeds,
  • And Harden owns a horse.
  • What though in our last border fray
  • 10We lost a cousin brave?
  • As sound a sleep is his, I say,
  • As comes to churchyard grave.
  • Rather than toss on couch of pain,
  • Sinking by slow degree,
  • Who would not fall on starlit plain,
  • Or 'neath the greenwood tree?
  • The thrall of peace is all I fear;
  • No battle doom I dread;
  • There hath not died this many a year
  • 20A chief of Scott in bed.
  • To horse! and use to-night, my friends,
  • The moonlight as you may,
  • Till English valleys make amends
  • For our poor cheer to-day.
D. G. R.
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Electronic Archive Edition: 1
Source File: ap4.o4.2.rad.xml
Copyright: Digital images courtesy of University of Virginia Special Collections