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Ballad

By John Clare

Topics: classic

A faithless shepherd courted me,     He stole away my liberty.     When my poor heart was strange to men,     He came and smiled and stole it then.          When my apron would hang low,     Me he sought through frost and snow.     When it puckered up with shame,     And I sought him, he never came.               When summer brought no fears to fright,     He came to guard me every night.     When winter nights did darkly prove,     None came to guard me or to love.          I wish, I wish, but all in vain,     I wish I was a maid again.     A maid again I cannot be,     O when will green grass cover me?

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"A faithless shepherd courted me,..."

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Author:John Clare

"A faithless shepherd courted me,..." by John Clare

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

John Clare

About John Clare

John Clare (1793–1864) was an English poet known as the "peasant poet" for his humble origins. His nature poetry—including "I Am" and "Badger"—captures the English countryside with extraordinary precision and emotional honesty, and he is now recognized as one of the finest nature poets in the language.

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