Classic Poem

Fading-Leaf and Fallen-Leaf

SAID Fading-leaf to Fallen-leaf: —
" I toss alone on a forsaken tree,
It rocks and cracks with every gust that racks
Its straining bulk, say, how is it with thee?"

Said Fallen-leaf to Fading-leaf: —
" A heavy foot went by, an hour ago;
Crushed into clay I stain the way;
The loud wind calls me, and I cannot go."

Said Fading-leaf to Fallen-leaf: —
" Death lessons Life, a ghost is ever wise;
Teach me a way to live till May
Laughs fair with fragrant lips and loving eyes."

Said Fallen-leaf to Fading-leaf: —
" Hast loved fair eyes and lips of gentle breath?
Fade then and fall — thou hast had all
That Life can give, ask somewhat now of Death."

Edward oure cumly king
In Braband has his woning
with mani cumly knight.
And in that land, trewly to tell,
ordanis he still for to dwell,
to time he think to fight.

Now God that es of mightes maste
grant him grace of the Haly Gaste
his heritage to win.
And Mari moder of mercy fre,
save oure king and his menve
fro sorow and schame and syn.

Thus in Braband has he bene,
whare he bifore was seldom sene,
for to prove thaire japes.
Now no langer wil he spare,
bot unto Fraunce fast will he fare
to confort him with grapes.

Furth he ferd into France —
God save him fro mischance
and all his cumpany.
The nobill duc of Braband
with him went into that land,
redy to lif or dy.

Than the riche floure de lice
wan thare ful litill prise;
fast he fled for ferde.
The right aire of that cuntre
es cumen with all his knightes fre
to schac him by the berd

Sir Philip the Valayse,
wit his men in tho dayes,
to batale had he thoght.
He bad his men tham purvay
with owten lenger delay,
bot he ne held it noght.

He broght folk ful grete wone,
ay sevyn oganis one,
that ful wele wapnid were.
Bot sone when he herd ascry
that king Edward was nere tharby,
than durst he noght cum nere.

In that mornig fell a myst,
and when oure ingliss men it wist,
it changed all thaire chere.
Oure king unto God made his bone,
and God sent him gude confort sone —
the weder wex ful clere.

Oure king and his men held the felde
stalworthly with spere and schelde,
and thoght to win his right,
with lordes and with knightes kene
and other doghty men bydene
that war ful frek to fight.

When sir Philip of France herd tell
that king Edward in feld walld dwell,
than gayned him no gle.
He traisted of no better bote,
bot both on hors and on fote
he hasted him to fle.

It semid he was ferd for strokes
when he did fell his grete okes
obout his pavilyoune.
Abated was than all his pride,
for langer thare durst he noght bide —
his bost was broght all doune.

The king of Beme had cares colde,
that was ful hardy and bolde,
a stede to umstride.
The king als of Naverne
war faire feld in the ferene
thaire heviddes for to hide.

And leves were, it es no lye,
the felde hat Flemangrye
that king Edward was in,
with princes that war stif ande bolde
and dukes that war doghty tolde
in batayle to bigin.

The princes that war riche on raw
gert nakers strike and trumpes blaw
and made murth at thaire might.
Both alblast and many a bow
war redy railed opon a row
and ful frek for to fight.

Gladly thai gaf mete and drink
so that thai suld the better swink
the wight men that thar ware.
Sir Philip of Fraunce fled for dout
and hied him hame with all his rout —
coward! God giff him care.

For thare than had the lely flowre
iorn all hately his honowre,
that sogat fled for ferd.
Bot oure king Edward come ful still,
when that he trowed no harm him till
and keped him in the berde.English