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Home  »  The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse  »  Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909)

Arthur Quiller-Couch, comp. The Oxford Book of Victorian Verse. 1922.

Child’s Song

Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909)

WHAT is gold worth, say,

Worth for work or play,

Worth to keep or pay,

Hide or throw away,

Hope about or fear?

What is love worth, pray?

Worth a tear?

Golden on the mould

Lie the dead leaves roll’d

Of the wet woods old,

Yellow leaves and cold,

Woods without a dove;

Gold is worth but gold;

Love ’s worth love.