The Silver Music / Ford Madox Hueffer

The Silver Music


In Chepstow stands a castle — My love and I went there. The foxgloves on the wall all heard Her footsteps on the stair. The sun was high in heaven, And the perfume in the air Came from purple cat’s-valerian ... But her footsteps on the stair Made a sound like silver music Through the perfume in the air. Oh I’m weary for the castle, And I’m weary for the Wye; And the flowered walls are purple, And the purple walls are high, And above the cat’s-valerian The foxgloves brush the sky. But I must plod along the road That leads to Germany. And another soldier fellow Shall come courting of my dear; And it’s I shall not be with her With my lips beside her ear. For it’s he shall walk beside her In the perfume of the air To the silver, silver music Of her footstep on the stair.