June Differences (John Clare; Charlotte Mew)

I.  John Clare

From Summer Images*

I love at early morn from the new mown swath

To see the startled frog his rout pursue

And mark while leaping oer the dripping path

         His bright sides scatter dew

And early Lark that from its bustle flyes --

          To hail his mattin new

          And watch him to the skyes

II.  Charlotte Mew

June 1915**

Who thinks of June's first rose to-day?

Only some child, perhaps, with shining eyes and rough bright hair will

               reach it down

In a green sunny lane, to us almost as far away

       As are the fearless stars from these veiled lamps of town.

       What's little June to a great broken world with eyes gone dim

       From too much looking on the face of grief, the face of dread?

               Or what's the broken world to June and him

Of the small eager hand, the shining eyes, the rough bright head?

      

*Composed 1824-32; First published 1835

** From The Rambling Sailor, 1929

Lower photograph taken near Hooge, Belgium, 6 a.m., June 16, 1915.  First attack on Bellewaarde Farm by the Liverpool Scottish, 6 am, 16 June 1915.  Photo by Private F.A. Fyfe, 'Z' Company, 1/10th King's (Liverpool) Regiment (Liverpool Scottish). Imperial War Museum catalogue number Q 49751.