Cambridge Poets 1900–1913

Rupert Brooke . in Grantche by day; all they . Thought Little children lovelier than a dream , A bosky wood , a slumbrous stream , And little kindly winds that creep Round twilight corners , half asleep . In Grantchester their skins are white ; They bathe by day , they bathe by night . The women there do all they ought ; The men observe the Rules of Thought . They love the Good ; they worship Truth ; They laugh uproariously in youth ; ( And when they get to feeling old , They up and shoot themselves , I'm told .) . . . Ah , God ! To see the branches stir Across the moon at Grantchester ! To smell the thrilling - sweet and rotten Unforgettable , unforgotten River - smell , and hear the breeze Sobbing in the little trees . Say , do the elm - clumps greatly stand Still guardians of that holy land ? The chestnuts shade , in reverend dream , The yet unacademic stream ? Is dawn a secret shy and cold Anadyomene , silver - gold ? And sunset still a golden sea From Haslingfield to Madingley ? And after , ere the night is born , Do hares come out about the corn ? Oh , is the water sweet and cool 29