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.