AT hawthorn-time in Wiltshire travelling
In search of something chance would never bring,
An old man's face, by life and weather cut
And coloured,--rough, brown, sweet as any nut,--
A land face, sea-blue-eyed,--hung in my mind
When I had left him many a mile behind.
All he said was: "Nobody can't stop 'ee. It's
A footpath, right enough. You see those bits
Of mounds--that's where they opened up the barrows
Sixty years since, while I was scaring sparrows.
They thought as there was something to find there,
But couldn't find it, by digging, anywhere."
Edward Thomas (1878-1917)
Thanks to moss for this. Seasonally apt and the poem in full to be found at - http://www.northstoke.blogspot.com/ (Thomas goes on to mention Alton Barnes, Alton Priors and other places of interest in the area). See also http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_781531805/Thomas_(Philip)_Edward.html for more about Thomas and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubber_fiend for more about Lob.
