The Old Maids Story

Ay, many and many a year’s gone by,

Since the dawn of that day in spring,

When we met in the pine-woods, Harry and I,

And he gave me this golden ring.

I had lovers in plenty, of high degree,

Who wooed in my father’s hall;

But none were so noble and brave as he,

Though he was the scorn’d of all.

On the soft, green grass, where the shadows lay,

All fleck’d with the sun and dew,

With a ring and a kiss did we seal, that day,

Our vow to be leal and true.

‘Twas a life-long vow;-but they did not know-

And they thought not of love or pain;-

We met just once in the sleet and snow-

We were never to meet again!

He was sent away o’er the blank, wide sea,

And I, with my hopes and fears,

Had never a message to comfort me

For over a score of years.

They laugh’d at my heart, they paraded my hand,

But I answer’d them, cold and grim-

“If Harry ne’er comes to his native land,

They shall only belong to him.”

At last came a tale from the battle-field;-

And they were not scornful now.

The sentence of exile might be repealed-

They would honour our plighted vow!

They told how my Harry, like olden knights,

Had fought for his land and Queen;

Fought hard and well on the Alma heights,

Where the deadliest strife was seen.

They told how he fell in the fire and smoke,

And they gave me his things to keep;

They wonder’d why I never cried or spoke,-

But it was too late to weep.

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Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry by Fledermaus

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Batty Writing – the bat’s idle chatter, thoughts, ideas and observations, all original, all fresh

Poems in English 

• Moonlight On The Door by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Me’th Below The Tree by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Meary-Ann’s Child by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Meaken Up A Miff by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Meäry’s Smile by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Meäry Wedded by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Martin’s Tide by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Married Peäir’s Love Walk by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Looks A-Know’d Avore by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Linda Deäne by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Light Or Sheäde by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Leaves A-Vallèn by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Leady-Day, An’ Ridden House by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Keepen Up O’ Chris’mas by William Barnes by William Barnes
• John Bloom In Lon’on by William Barnes by William Barnes
• John Bleäke At Hwome At Night by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Jeane’s Wedden Day In Mornen by William Barnes by William Barnes
• In The Stilness O’ The Night by William Barnes by William Barnes
• I’m Out O’ Door by William Barnes by William Barnes
• Hope In Spring by William Barnes by William Barnes

More external links (open in a new tab):

Russian Commerce Agency

Dealing Monster

Doska or the Board – write anything

Search engines:

Yandex – the best search engine for searches in Russian (and the best overall image search engine, in any language, anywhere)

Qwant – the best search engine for searches in French, German as well as Romance and Germanic languages.

Ecosia – a search engine that supposedly… plants trees

Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.

Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.

 

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