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>>This is Alfred Noyes most famous poem....Its a rather >>colourful romanticised account of the legendary 18th >>century English outlaw/highwayman Dick Turpin 1705 - >>1739..alas the true story of Turpin is rather less >>romantic he wasnt a man one would like to meet face to >>face ...in reality he was probably a psychotic >>brute,but one must never let truth get in the way of a >>good story,It is perhaps surprising that Noyes who was >>born a protestant,but in later life converted to >>catholocism with his deeply religious outlook would >>write a poem about a criminal,but legend has rather >>transformed the popular perception of Turpin into a >>hero,so one supposes thats how Noyes percieved >>him.....Noyes who like Dave Russell was born in >>Wolverhampton central England was popular throughout >>his life as a successful published poet..He was a >>professor of modern English studies princeton >>university in the united states from 1915 to 1923..he >>died in 1958 and is buried in a catholic cemetary on >>the Isle of Wight southeast England.. >> >>This musical poem is over 13 minutes long so in order >>to meet the technical requirements of uploading this >>wav file i've given you it in 2 halves...The second >>and cocluding part will appear as a reply to this >>message on the acoustic musicians and poets sound >>archive "poetry sounds" board...heres the link to the >>page with the sound files.... >>http://groups.msn.com/acousticmusiciansandpoetssoundar >c >>hive/poetrysounds.msnw?action=get_message&mview=1&ID_M >e >>ssage=170 >> >>Regards... >> >>Jim Clark >> >>All rights are reserved on this sound >>recording/copyright/patent Jim Clark 2002 >> >> >>The Highwayman-- Alfred Noyes >> >>The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty >>trees, >>The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy >>seas, >>The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple >>moor, >>And the highwayman came riding-- >>Riding--riding-- >>The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door. >>He'd a French cocked hat on his forehead, and a bunch >>of lace at his chin; >>He'd a coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of fine >>doe-skin. >>They fitted with never a wrinkle; his boots were up to >>his thigh! >>And he rode with a jeweled twinkle-- >>His rapier hilt a-twinkle-- >>His pistol butts a-twinkle, under the jeweled sky. >>Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark >>inn-yard, >>He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was >>locked and barred, >>He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be >>waiting there >>But the landlord's black-eyed daughter-- >>Bess, the landlord's daughter-- >>Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black >>hair. >>Dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked >>Where Tim, the ostler listened--his face was white and >>peaked-- >>His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy >>hay, >>But he loved the landlord's daughter-- >>The landlord's black-eyed daughter; >> >>Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber >>say: >>"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart; I'm after a prize >>tonight, >>But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the >>morning light. >>Yet if they press me sharply, and harry me through the >>day, >>Then look for me by moonlight, >>Watch for me by moonlight, >>I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar >>the way." >>He stood upright in the stirrups; he scarce could >>reach her hand, >>But she loosened her hair in the casement! >>His face burnt like a brand >>As the sweet black waves of perfume came tumbling o'er >>his breast, >>Then he kissed its waves in the moonlight >>(O sweet black waves in the moonlight!), >>And he tugged at his reins in the moonlight, and >>galloped away to the west. >>He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at >>noon. >>And out of the tawny sunset, before the rise of the >>moon, >>When the road was a gypsy's ribbon over the purple >>moor, >>The redcoat troops came marching-- >>Marching--marching-- >> >>King George's men came marching, up to the old inn >>door. >>They said no word to the landlord; they drank his ale >>instead, >>But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot >>of her narrow bed. >>Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets by >>their side; >>There was Death at every window, >>And Hell at one dark window, >>For Bess could see, through her casement, the road >>that he would ride. >>They had bound her up at attention, with many a >>sniggering jest! >>They had tied a rifle beside her, with the barrel >>beneath her breast! >>"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her. >>She heard the dead man say, >>"Look for me by moonlight, >>Watch for me by moonlight, >>I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar >>the way." >> >>She twisted her hands behind her, but all the knots >>held good! >>She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with >>sweat or blood! >>They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the >>hours crawled by like years, >>Till, on the stroke of midnight, >>Cold on the stroke of midnight, >>The tip of one finger touched it! >>The trigger at least was hers! >>The tip of one finger touched it, she strove no more >>for the rest; >>Up, she stood up at attention, with the barrel beneath >>her breast. >>She would not risk their hearing, she would not strive >>again, >>For the road lay bare in the moonlight, >>Blank and bare in the moonlight, >>And the blood in her veins, in the moonlight, throbbed >>to her love's refrain. >> >>Tlot tlot, tlot tlot! >>Had they heard it? >>The horse-hooves, ringing clear; >>Tlot tlot, tlot tlot, in the distance! >>Were they deaf that they did not hear? >>Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the >>hill, >>The highwayman came riding-- >>Riding--riding-- >>The redcoats looked to their priming! >>She stood up straight and still. >>Tlot tlot, in the frosty silence! >>Tlot tlot, in the echoing night! >>Nearer he came and nearer! >>Her face was like a light! >>Her eyes grew wide for a moment, she drew one last >>deep breath, >>Then her finger moved in the moonlight-- >>Her musket shattered the moonlight-- >>Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned >him-- >>with her death. >> >>He turned, he spurred to the West; he did not know who >>stood >>Bowed, with her head o'er the casement, drenched in >>her own red blood! >>Not till the dawn did he hear it, and his face grew >>grey to hear >>How Bess, the landlord's daughter, >>The landlord's black-eyed daughter, >>Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in >>the darkness there. >>Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to >>the sky, >>With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier >>brandished high! >>Blood-red were his spurs in the golden noon, wine-red >>was his velvet coat >>When they shot him down in the highway, >>Down like a dog in the highway, >>And he lay in his blood in the highway, with the bunch >>of lace at his throat. >> >>And still on a winter's night, they say, when the wind >>is in the trees, >>When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy >>seas, >>When the road is a gypsy's ribbon looping the purple >>moor, >>The highwayman comes riding-- >>Riding--riding-- >>The highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door. >>Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark >>inn-yard, >>He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is >>locked and barred, >>He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be >>waiting there >>But the landlord's black-eyed daughter-- >>Bess, the landlord's daughter-- >>Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black >>hair<!-/Text-!> > > >which King Goerge was used in it > >and were was it tooken place at???

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