Bredon Hill Poem by Alfred Edward Housman

Bredon Hill

Rating: 2.9


In summertime on Bredon
The bells they sound so clear;
Round both the shires they ring them
In steeples far and near,
A happy noise to hear.

Here of a Sunday morning
My love and I would lie,
And see the coloured counties,
And hear the larks so high
About us in the sky.

The bells would ring to call her
In valleys miles away:
'Come all to church, good people;
Good people, come and pray.
But here my love would stay.

And I would turn and answer
Among the springing thyme,
'Oh, peal upon our wedding,
And we will hear the chime,
And come to church in time.

But when the snows at Christmas
On Bredon top were strewn,
My love rose up so early
And stole out unbeknown
And went to church alone.

They tolled the one bell only,
Groom there was none to see,
The mourners followed after,
And so to church went she,
And would not wait for me.

The bells they sound on Bredon,
And still the steeples hum.
'Come all to church, good people,' -
Oh, noisy bells, be dumb;
I hear you, I will come.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Ruth Williams 16 November 2020

Contrary to the way this reader pronounces it, Bredon should have a long e sound, making it " Breedon" . The poem sounds much better this way. Also, in the fifth stanza " strewn" should be pronounced " strown" , to rhyme with " unknown"

1 0 Reply
Owen Watson 04 February 2020

Not just because I've stood there on a fine summer afternoon With friends and kin all parted now all too soon I think this verse is very fine too.

0 0 Reply
Shreck 25 July 2019

My pp Itches

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