Page:Early poems of William Morris.djvu/171



Midways of a walled garden,

In the happy poplar land,

Did an ancient castle stand,

With an old knight for a warden.

Many scarlet bricks there were

In its walls, and old grey stone;

Over which red apples shone

At the right time of the year.

On the bricks the green moss grew,

Yellow lichen on the stone,

Over which red apples shone;

Little war that castle knew.

Deep green water fill'd the moat,

Each side had a red-brick lip,

Green and mossy with the drip

Of dew and rain; there was a boat

Of carven wood, with hangings green

About the stern; it was great bliss

For lovers to sit there and kiss

In the hot summer noons, not seen.

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