Clear and Gentle Stream
Robert Bridges
1844 to 1930
Track 1
Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
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Many an afternoon
Clear and gentle stream!
In the selfsame strain
And I know how soon,
And the proud swans stray,
Dreaming here I lay;
That hast heard the song,
And the fish lie cool
Creeping up the glade,
Down thy margin stray,
Of my boyish day;
Idly at its hour,
Known and loved so long
And my idle dream,
Still my voice is spent,
Thee to hear again
That familiar strain
Where back eddies play
With my old lament
Of the summer day
Here again I sit,
With her lengthening shade,
Shipwreck with the leaves,
Over stream and grass
Where thou dost not flow,
First the deep bell hums
Where my old seat was
From the minster tower,
And the tardy boon,
Clear and gentle stream!
And then evening comes,
While I once again
Clear and gentle stream!
Well does it beseem
A translucent eaves:
Ere again I go
Sailing one by one
Clear and gentle stream.
Where the long boughs knit
Be as I content
With my old lament
Out of stream and sun,
Of her brightening moon.
And the idle dream
Silent now so long:
And my idle dream,
Once my youthful song,
In their chosen pool.