Page 319 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade7_Flipbook

ACTIvITy 4.7
continued
Using language to develop Theme
poetry
claret: a deep red
my Notes
The
Highwayman
by Alfred Noyes
Part One
The wind was a torrent of darkness upon the gusty trees, a The moon was a ghostly galleon1 tossed upon cloudy seas, a The road was a ribbon of moonlight looping the purple moor, b And the highwayman came riding— c
5 Riding—riding— c
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door. b
He’d a French cocked hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin; A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of fine doe-skin.
They fitted with never a wrinkle. His boots were up to the thigh.
10 And he rode with a jeweled twinkle, His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier2 hilt 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. 15 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.
And dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
20 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 red-lipped daughter.
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say—
25 “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 harry3 me through the day,
1 galleon: aa sailing ship used from the 15th to 17th centuries 2 rapier: a thin sword with a very sharp tip
3 harry: to carry out attacks on someone
292 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 7
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.