English

How undying is your song, Most resplendent English tongue! You’re a tree with countless leaves: Words whose rustling wonder weaves! To the mind your sound ascends And, with swift command, it blends Beauty with the joys of peace, Whose delights can never cease. On thick branches, your fruits grow And, upon man’s heart, they sow Lasting stories fed by time, Mournful longings clothed in rhyme, Marvels great and unsurpassed, Fancies of the ages past. Upon these, the wilful mind Can indulge, within to find Bright reflections of its dreams In the mirror of your streams, Spread on silk and wrapped in gold With light touch by craft of old. Unabashed, from your warm nest, Eagles proudly fly in quest For the freedom of the skies, Where the muses’ shelter lies, Whence the spirits gather near Bards and wrights, their thoughts to hear By your fountain, in the shade, Where dark worries are allayed. Often I’m inclined to mourn That of you I was not born: You have reared me like your own And, within your arms, I’ve grown To delight in your pure taste Within bounds and without haste, To take pride that you outshine All the glories of our time. Find my poems and published poetry volumes at www.eton-langford.com