The Daffodil Fields

Between the barren pasture and the wood There is a patch of poultry-stricken grass, Where, in old time, Ryemeadows' Farmhouse stood, And human fate brought tragic things to pass. A spring comes bubbling up there, cold as glass, It bubbles down, crusting the leaves with lime, Babbling the self-same song that it has sung through time.

Ducks gobble at the selvage of the brook, But still it slips away, the cold hill-spring, Past the Ryemeadows' lonely woodland nook Where many a stubble gray-goose preens her wing, On, by the woodland side. You hear it sing Past the lone copse where poachers set their wires, Past the green hill once grim with sacrificial fires.

Another water joins it; then it turns, Runs through the Ponton Wood, still turning west, Past foxgloves, Canterbury bells, and ferns, And many a blackbird's, many a thrush's nest; The cattle tread it there; then, with a zest It sparkles out, babbling its pretty chatter Through Foxholes Farm, where it gives white-faced cattle water.

Under the road it runs, and now it slips Past the great ploughland, babbling, drop and linn, To the moss'd stumps of elm trees which it lips, And blackberry-bramble-trails where eddies spin. Then, on its left, some short-grassed fields begin, Red-clayed and pleasant, which the young spring fills With the never-quiet joy of dancing daffodils.

There are three fields where daffodils are found; The grass is dotted blue-gray with their leaves; Their nodding beauty shakes along the ground Up to a fir-clump shutting out the eaves Of an old farm where always the wind grieves High in the fir boughs, moaning; people call This farm The Roughs, but some call it the Poor Maid's Hall.

There, when the first green shoots of tender corn Show on the plough; when the first drift of white Stars the black branches of the spiky thorn, And afternoons are warm and evenings light, The shivering daffodils do take delight, Shaking beside the brook, and grass comes green, And blue dog-violets come and glistening celandine.

And there the pickers come, picking for town Those dancing daffodils; all day they pick; Hard-featured women, weather-beaten brown, Or swarthy-red, the colour of old brick. At noon they break their meats under the rick. The smoke of all three farms lifts blue in air As though man's passionate mind had never suffered there.

And sometimes as they rest an old man comes, Shepherd or carter, to the hedgerow-side, And looks upon their gangrel tribe, and hums, And thinks all gone to wreck since master died; And sighs over a passionate harvest-tide Which Death's red sickle reaped under those hills, There, in the quiet fields among the daffodils.

When this most tragic fate had time and place, And human hearts and minds to show it by, Ryemeadows' Farmhouse was in evil case: Its master, Nicholas Gray, was like to die. He lay in bed, watching the windy sky, Where all the rooks were homing on slow wings, Cawing, or blackly circling in enormous rings.

With a sick brain he watched them; then he took Paper and pen, and wrote in straggling hand (Like spider's legs, so much his fingers shook) Word to the friends who held the adjoining land, Bidding them come; no more he could command His fingers twitching to the feebling blood; He watched his last day's sun dip down behind the wood,

While all his life's thoughts surged about his brain: Memories and pictures clear, and faces known-- Long dead, perhaps; he was a child again, Treading a threshold in the dark alone. Then back the present surged, making him moan. He asked if Keir had come yet. "No," they said. "Nor Occleve?" "No." He moaned: "Come soon or I'll be dead."

The names like live things wandered in his mind: "Charles Occleve of The Roughs," and "Rowland Keir-- Keir of the Foxholes"; but his brain was blind, A blind old alley in the storm of the year, Baffling the traveller life with "No way here," For all his lantern raised; life would not tread Within that brain again, along those pathways red.

Soon all was dimmed but in the heaven one star. "I'll hold to that," he said; then footsteps stirred. Down in the court a voice said, "Here they are," And one, "He's almost gone." The sick man heard. "Oh God, be quick," he moaned. "Only one word. Keir! Occleve! Let them come. Why don't they come? Why stop to tell them that?--the devil strike you dumb.

"I'm neither doll nor dead; come in, come in. Curse you, you women, quick," the sick man flamed. "I shall be dead before I can begin. A sick man's womaned-mad, and nursed and damed." Death had him by the throat; his wrath was tamed. "Come in," he fumed; "stop muttering at the door." The friends came in; a creaking ran across the floor.

"Now, Nick, how goes it, man?" said Occleve. "Oh," The dying man replied, "I am dying; past; Mercy of God, I die, I'm going to go. But I have much to tell you if I last. Come near me, Occleve, Keir. I am sinking fast, And all my kin are coming; there, look there. All the old, long dead Grays are moving in the air.

"It is my Michael that I called you for: My son, abroad, at school still, over sea. See if that hag is listening at the door. No? Shut the door; don't lock it, let it be. No faith is kept to dying men like me. I am dipped deep and dying, bankrupt, done; I leave not even a farthing to my lovely son.

"Neighbours, these many years our children played, Down in the fields together, down the brook; Your Mary, Keir, the girl, the bonny maid, And Occleve's Lion, always at his book; Them and my Michael: dear, what joy they took Picking the daffodils; such friends they've been-- My boy and Occleve's boy and Mary Keir for queen.

"I had made plans; but I am done with, I. Give me the wine. I have to ask you this: I can leave Michael nothing, and I die. By all our friendship used to be and is, Help him, old friends. Don't let my Michael miss The schooling I've begun. Give him his chance. He does not know I am ill; I kept him there in France.

"Saving expense; each penny counts. Oh, friends, Help him another year; help him to take His full diploma when the training ends, So that my ruin won't be his. Oh, make This sacrifice for our old friendship's sake, And God will pay you; for I see God's hand Pass in most marvellous ways on souls: I understand

"How just rewards are given for man's deeds And judgment strikes the soul. The wine there, wine. Life is the daily thing man never heeds. It is ablaze with sign and countersign. Michael will not forget: that son of mine Is a rare son, my friends; he will go far. I shall behold his course from where the blessed are."

"Why, Nick," said Occleve, "come, man. Gather hold. Rouse up. You've given way. If times are bad, Times must be bettering, master; so be bold; Lift up your spirit, Nicholas, and be glad. Michael's as much to me as my dear lad. I'll see he takes his school." "And I," said Keir. "Set you no keep by that, but be at rest, my dear.

"We'll see your Michael started on the road." "But there," said Occleve, "Nick's not going to die. Out of the ruts, good nag, now; zook the load. Pull up, man. Death! Death and the fiend defy. We'll bring the farm round for you, Keir and I. Put heart at rest and get your health." "Ah, no," The sick man faintly answered, "I have got to go."

Still troubled in his mind, the sick man tossed. "Old friends," he said, "I once had hoped to see Mary and Michael wed, but fates are crossed, And Michael starts with nothing left by me. Still, if he loves her, will you let it be? So in the grave, maybe, when I am gone, I'll know my hope fulfilled, and see the plan go on."

"I judge by hearts, not money," answered Keir. "If Michael suits in that and suits my maid, I promise you, let Occleve witness here He shall be free for me to drive his trade. Free, ay, and welcome, too. Be not afraid, I'll stand by Michael as I hope some friend Will stand beside my girl in case my own life end."

"And I," said Occleve; but the sick man seemed Still ill at ease. "My friends," he said, "my friends, Michael may come to all that I have dreamed, But he's a wild yarn full of broken ends. So far his life in France has made amends. God grant he steady so; but girls and drink Once brought him near to hell, aye, to the very brink.

"There is a running vein of wildness in him: Wildness and looseness both, which vices make That woman's task a hard one who would win him: His life depends upon the course you take. He is a fiery-mettled colt to break, And one to curb, one to be curbed, remember." The dying voice died down, the fire left the ember.

But once again it flamed. "Ah me," he cried; "Our secret sins take body in our sons, To haunt our age with what we put aside. I was a devil for the women once. He is as I was. Beauty like the sun's; Within, all water; minded like the moon. Go now. I sinned. I die. I shall be punished soon."

The two friends tiptoed to the room below. There, till the woman came to them, they told Of brave adventures in the long ago, Ere Nick and they had thought of growing old; Snipe-shooting in the marshlands in the cold, Old soldiering days as yeomen, days at fairs, Days that had sent Nick tired to those self-same chairs.

They vowed to pay the schooling for his son. They talked of Michael, testing men's report, How the young student was a lively one, Handsome and passionate both, and fond of sport, Eager for fun, quick-witted in retort. The girls' hearts quick to see him cocking by, Young April on a blood horse, with a roving eye.

And, as they talked about the lad, Keir asked If Occleve's son had not, at one time, been Heartsick for Mary, though with passion masked. "Ay," Occleve said: "Time was. At seventeen. It took him hard, it ran his ribs all lean, All of a summer; but it passed, it died. Her fancying Michael better touched my Lion's pride."

Mice flickered from the wainscot to the press, Nibbling at crumbs, rattling to shelter, squeaking. Each ticking in the clock's womb made life less; Oil slowly dropped from where the lamp was leaking. At times the old nurse set the staircase creaking, Harked to the sleeper's breath, made sure, returned, Answered the questioning eyes, then wept. The great stars burned.

"Listen," said Occleve, "listen, Rowland. Hark." "It's Mary, come with Lion," answered Keir: "They said they'd come together after dark." He went to door and called "Come in, my dear." The burning wood log blazed with sudden cheer, So that a glowing lighted all the room. His daughter Mary entered from the outer gloom.

The wind had brought the blood into her cheek, Heightening her beauty, but her great grey eyes Were troubled with a fear she could not speak. Firm, scarlet lips she had, not made for lies. Gentle she seemed, pure-natured, thoughtful, wise, And when she asked what turn the sickness took, Her voice's passing pureness on a low note shook.

Young Lion Occleve entered at her side, A well-built, clever man, unduly grave, One whose repute already travelled wide For skill in breeding beasts. His features gave Promise of brilliant mind, far-seeing, brave, One who would travel far. His manly grace Grew wistful when his eyes were turned on Mary's face.