Ballad of the Cool Fountain

by Anonymous 

(collected poem 2 - ballad)

Fountain, coolest fountain,  

Cool fountain of love,

Where all the sweet birds come

For comforting-but one,

A widow turtledove,

Sadly sorrowing,

At once the nightingale,

That wicked bird, came by,

And spoke these honied words:

"My lady, if you will,

I shall be your slave."

"You are my enemy:

Begone, you are not true!"

Green boughs no longer rest me,

Nor any budding grove.

Clear springs, where there are such,

Turn muddy at my touch.

I want no spouse to love

Nor any children either.

I forego that pleasure and their comfort too.

No, leave me; you are false

And wicked-vile, untrue!

I'll never be your mistress!

I'll never marry you!

  Review: 

This poem is a ballad about a fountain who is angry with a nightingale. It expresses the emotions of the fountain, which is personification. "Sadly sorrowing"on line 6 is an example of alliteration. There is no definite rhyme scheme or structure. It is written in dactyl hexameter.