My Schoolboy Composition

My schoolboy composition, write

About a happy day

Spent in the country or

By the sea.

I’d choose that day, when

You and I

Lighthearted, stole time from

Trouble

And essayed countrywise

Upon adventure high.

At our backs, repast

We took no chance

Of hunger driving spirit by

In elemental urge.

Ours was the icing, top

To nature’s riot,

Choosing pivots for our words

Balancing our art.

We stole a scene, pat

Our summing up.

We eyeglanced nature

And cornered her.

You stood apart, I

Speared you

Fast against the sky

Immortal miracle.

Colour raised on colour, we

with impatience chose, delight

Confused us, fled

From close pursuit

And rested, in ourselves.

Within ourselves, familiar landscape

Of our own choosing

Exhibiting our choice

For admiration

Prepared to admit, if suited

To our taste

Each other’s ’maginations

Upon an equal theme

Then out again, flash

Fly the eye around

Sweep up the sun

And laugh our ’mazement.

Never was field so fair

Never did wind so sweetly play

About our heads

As on that day.

Our ecstasy, I include you

Presuming, no way to ask,

Built up in those hours

Was cumulative

Of intention, opportunity and desire

Played up to tunes without ourselves.

We tied our minds

To the day’s clear speed

The rush of cloud, the hours spinning

The bird’s quick flight

And grasses gay stampede, urged

By a romping wind.

And in the latter day long-shadowed

Ending, took into our hearts

The day’s content,

In silence kept close company.

We were too full

For words, the approximate explanation

Of our state

But as from dreams awaking

Forgot all incidents

And smiled, but knew not why.