SO WITH HAPPINESS IN OUR HEARTS AND PRIDE IN OUR MINDS THAT THIS IS OUR HOME, OUR COUNTRY, OUR BELOVED ENGLAND,

LET US BID FAREWELL.

 

AND NOW THE VALLEYS THAT UPON THE SUN,

BROKE FROM THEIR OPAL VEILS, ARE VEILED AGAIN,

AND THE LAST LIGHT UPON THE WOLDS IS DONE,

AND SILENCE FALLS ON FLOCKS AND FIELDS AND MEN,

AND BLACK UPON THE NIGHT I WATCH THE HILL,

AND THE STARS SHINE, AND THERE AN OWLY WING,

BRUSHES THE NIGHT, AND ALL AGAIN IS STILL,

AND FROM THIS LAND OF WORSHIP THAT I SING,

I TURN TO SLEEP, CONTENT THAT FROM MY SIRES,

I DRAW THE BLOOD OF ENGLAND'S FINEST SHIRES.

 

GOODNIGHT.

 

Raymond H. Hutt.

 

JULY-DECEMBER 1953