Poems by Walter de la Mare | Poetree

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The Sleeper

The Sleeper

As Ann came in one summer's day,

She felt that she must creep,

So silent was the clear cool house,

It seemed a house of sleep.

And sure, when she pushed open the door,

Rapt in the stillness there,

Her mother sat, with stooping head,

Asleep upon a chair;

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by Walter de la Mare

The Huntsmen

The Huntsmen

Three jolly gentlemen,

In coats of red,

Rode their horses

Up to bed.

Three jolly gentlemen

Snored till morn,

Their horses champing

The golden corn.

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by Walter de la Mare

The Veil

The Veil

I think and think: yet still I fail —

Why must this lady wear a veil?

Why thus elect to mask her face

Beneath that dainty web of lace?

The tip of a small nose I see,

And two red lips, set curiously

Like twin-born berries on one stem,

And yet, she has netted even them.

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by Walter de la Mare

The Pigs and the Charcoal-burner

The Pigs and the Charcoal-burner

The old Pig said to the little pigs,

'In the forest is truffles and mast,

Follow me then, all ye little pigs,

Follow me fast!'

The Charcoal-burner sat in the shade

With his chin oil his thumb,

And saw the big Pig and the little pigs

Chuffling come.

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by Walter de la Mare

The Remonstrance

The Remonstrance

I was at peace until you came

And set a careless mind aflame;

I lived in quiet; cold, content;

All longing in safe banishment,

Until your ghostly lips and eyes

Made wisdom unwise.

Naught was in me to tempt your feet

To seek a lodging. Quite forgot

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by Walter de la Mare

Mr Nobody

Mr Nobody

I know a funny little man,

As quiet as a mouse,

Who does the mischief that is done

In everybody’s house.

There’s no one ever sees his face,

And yet we all agree

That every plate we break was cracked

By Mr., Nobody

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by Walter de la Mare

Nicholas Nye

Nicholas Nye

Thistle and darnell and dock grew there,

And a bush, in the corner, of may,

On the orchard wall I used to sprawl

In the blazing heat of the day;

Half asleep and half awake,

While the birds went twittering by,

And nobody there my lone to share

But Nicholas Nye.

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by Walter de la Mare

Miss T

Miss T

It's a very odd thing -

As odd can be -

That whatever Miss T eats

Turns into Miss T.;

Porridge and apples,

Mince, muffins and mutton,

Jam, junket, jumbles -

Not a rap, not a button

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by Walter de la Mare

Full Moon

Full Moon

One night as Dick lay half asleep,

Into his drowsy eyes

A great still light began to creep

From out the silent skies.

It was the lovely moon's, for when

He raised his dreamy head,

Her surge of silver filled the pane

And streamed across his bed.

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by Walter de la Mare

When the Rose is Faded

When the Rose is Faded

When the rose is faded,

Memory may still dwell on

Her beauty shadowed,

And the sweet smell gone.

That vanishing loveliness,

That burdening breath,

No bond of life hath then,

Nor grief of death.

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by Walter de la Mare

Tom's Little Dog

Tom's Little Dog

Tom told his dog called Tim to beg,

And up at once he sat,

His two clear amber eyes fixed fast,

His haunches on his mat.Tom poised a lump of sugar on

His nose; then, "Trust!" says he;

Stiff as a guardsman sat his Tim;

Never a hair stirred he.

"Paid for!" says Tom; and in a trice

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by Walter de la Mare

The Linnet

The Linnet

Upon this leafy bush

With thorns and roses in it,

Flutters a thing of light,

A twittering Linnet.

And all the throbbing world

Of dew and sun and air

By this small parcel of life

Is made more fair;

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by Walter de la Mare