And many a dame whose beauty lives in song.

 Meanwhile a staging improvised and rude Rises, whereon the masquers and the mimes Play for their sport a pleasant interlude, Fantastic, gallant, pointing at the times. 

Rises, whereon the masquers and the mimes

Fantastic, gallant, pointing at the times.

 Their green-room is the wide midsummer wood; Down some far-winding gallery the deer— The dappled dead-head of that sylvan show— Starts as the distant ranting strikes his ear. 

Down some far-winding gallery the deer—

Starts as the distant ranting strikes his ear.

 They use no traverses nor painted screen To help along their naked, out-door wit: (Only the forest lends its leafy scene) Yet wonderfully well they please the pit. 

To help along their naked, out-door wit:

Yet wonderfully well they please the pit.

 The plaudits echo through the wide parquet Where the fair audience upon the grass, Each knight beside his lady-love, is set, While overhead the merry winds do pass. 

Where the fair audience upon the grass,

While overhead the merry winds do pass.

 The little river murmurs in its reeds, And somewhere in the verdurous solitude The wood-thrush drops a cool contralto note, An orchestra well-tuned unto their mood. 

And somewhere in the verdurous solitude

An orchestra well-tuned unto their mood.

 As runs the play so runs the afternoon; The curtain and the sun fall side by side; The epilogue is spoke, the twilight come; Then homeward through the darkening glades they ride. 

The curtain and the sun fall side by side;

Then homeward through the darkening glades they ride.

 

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