Author: John Frederick Freeman

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    From Swindon out to White Horse Hill
    I walked, in morning rain,
    And saw your shadow lying there.
    As clear and plain
    As lies the White Horse on the Hill
    I saw your shadow lying there.

    Over the wide green downs and bleak,
    Unthinking, free I walked,
    And saw your shadow fluttering by.
    Almost it talked,
    Answering what I dared not speak
    While thoughts of you ran fluttering by....

    So on to Baydon sauntered, teased
    With that pure native air.
    Sometimes the sweetness of wild thyme
    The strings of care
    Did pluck; sometimes my soul was eased
    With more than sweetness of wild thyme.

    Sometimes within a pool I caught
    Your face, upturned to mine.
    And where sits Chilton by the waters
    Your look did shine
    Wildly in the mill foam that sought
    To hide you in those angry waters.

    And yet, O Sweet, you never knew
    Those downs, the thymy air
    That with your spirit haunted is--
    Yes, everywhere!
    Ah, but my heart is full of you,
    And with your shadow haunted is.

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Type of Poem: Lyric Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem beautifully explores the themes of longing, memory, and the persistence of love. The poet's journey from Swindon to White Horse Hill serves as a metaphorical journey through the landscape of his feelings for a beloved, who remains a palpable presence despite their physical absence.

The poem employs a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme, creating a rhythmic structure that carries the reader along the poet's emotional journey. The poet's use of vivid natural imagery—rain, the white horse on the hill, the green downs, wild thyme, a pool, and angry waters—brings to life both the physical setting and the emotional context. These images are often paired with the shadow or the face of the beloved, further emphasizing their persistent presence in the poet's mind.

The tone of the poem is one of nostalgic melancholy, a deep longing for a past love that still permeates the poet's present. The use of repetition ("I saw your shadow lying there", "With more than sweetness of wild thyme", "And with your shadow haunted is") accentuates the constancy of this longing, as well as the poet's inability to escape from the memories of his beloved.

The poem employs the literary device of personification, giving human qualities to the shadow and the elements of nature, which not only "talk" but also "hide" the beloved. This serves to create a sense of interaction and emotional connection between the poet and his environment, further deepening the sense of longing and emotional depth.

Overall, the poem presents a poignant exploration of the human capacity to hold on to the memories of past love, and the ways in which those memories can shape and color our perception of the world around us.