Destroyers and Other Verses/Grey Flowed the River, High up in the Sky

She…

Grey flowed the river, high up in the sky

Flocculent clouds hung silver-grey:

Cool and clean the wind went by

With a scent of spring, when you and I

Made holiday.

You found an inn where the river’s bow

Encloses a garden of sandy weeds;

And a ferryman’s boat piles to and fro

From bank to bank, and kingcups glow

In the yellow reeds.

We climbed the wood to an open space

And looked on a valley clothed in green,

With a poplar fringe of orange lace;

No drifting shadow marred the face

Of the happy scene.

We watched the horizontal light

Of sunset silver each shallow pool-

And wondered, at home in the city that nigh

Was ever a day of rich delight

So calm and cool.