WHERE be ye going, you Devon maid?
And what have ye there i' the basket?
Ye tight little fairy, just fresh from the dairy,
Will ye give me some cream if I ask it?
I love your meads, and I love your flowers,
And I love your junkets mainly,
But 'hind the door, I love kissing more,
O look not so disdainly!
I love your hills, and I love your dales,
And I love your flocks a-bleating;
But O, on the heather to lie together,
With both our hearts a-beating!
I'll put your basket all safe in a nook,
Your shawl I'll hang up on this willow,
And we will sigh in the daisy's eye,
And kiss on a grass-green pillow.
Superb, such a delight to read and take in. Absolutely fantastic, I so enjoy reading old poetry, it stays with you and mellows you out. Love it.....
It`s a poem about a guy sexually harassing this lady and the speaker says o look not so disdainly so shes obviously agitated at his harassment. Hes just listing metaphors as well like I love your hills and your dales. What about this mellows you out? I`m pretty sure John Keats is just making fun of dumb farm folk who try to pick up ladies.
...........so sweet is this little invitation....who could refuse....loved reading every line...
This poem was written in a letter to an artist and friend named Benjamin Robert Haydon in 1818. Although Keats wrote, 'Here's some doggerel for you, ' I think that this light little poem is a delightful contrast to his major works. Its flirtatious, sensual images catch some of the wit and dalliance of Robert Burns's more carefree love lyrics.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
A beautiful poem so nicely penned. Thanks for sharing this lovely poem.