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>>>why wont u tell me when he wrote it? >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/acousticmusiciansandpoetssounda >r >>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-!>

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