On The South Downs

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Light falls the rain
  On link and laine,
  After the burning day;
  And the bright scene,
  Blue, gold, and green,
  Is blotted out in gray.

  Not so will part
  The glowing heart
  With sunny hours gone by;
  On cliff and hill
  There lingers still
  A light that cannot die.

  Like a gold crown
  Gorse decks the Down,
  All sapphire lies the sea;
  And incense sweet
  Springs as our feet
  Tread light the thymy lea.

  Fade, vision bright!
  Fall rain, fall night!
  Forget, gray world, thy green!
  For us, nor thee,
  Can all days be
  As though this had not been!

© Francis William Bourdillon