A. E. Housman (1859–1936). A Shropshire Lad. 1896.

LXI. The vane on Hughley steeple

Hughley Steeple

THE VANE on Hughley steeple

Veers bright, a far-known sign,

And there lie Hughley people,

And there lie friends of mine.

Tall in their midst the tower

Divides the shade and sun,

And the clock strikes the hour

And tells the time to none.

To south the headstones cluster,

The sunny mounds lie thick;

The dead are more in muster

At Hughley than the quick.

North, for a soon-told number,

Chill graves the sexton delves,

And steeple-shadowed slumber

The slayers of themselves.

To north, to south, lie parted,

With Hughley tower above,

The kind, the single-hearted,

The lads I used to love.

And, south or north, ’tis only

A choice of friends one knows,

And I shall ne’er be lonely

Asleep with these or those.