Frances Cornford

Frances Cornford (1886–1960) was an English poet known for her witty, economical lyrics that often reflect on domestic life and the natural world. Her work is frequently anthologized for its concise charm and ironic touch. Biography ↓More ↓

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Frances Cornford

At Night

On moony nights the dogs bark shrill Down the valley and up the hill. There's one is angry to behold The moon so unafraid and cold, Who makes the earth as bright as day, But yet unhappy, dead, and gray. Another in his strawy lair Says: "Who's a-howling over there? By heavens I will stop him soon From interfering with the moon." So back he barks, with throat upthrown: "You leave our moon, our moon alone." And other distant dogs respond Beyond the fields, beyond, beyond.

Frances Cornford

From a Lincolnshire Farm

Through the sheltering sycamores Blows the wild wind from the shores, And the nations of the wheat Bow and sway before his feet. Where the far fields fade, and die In the shining of the sky, Right across the spacious plain He is gone, and back again. He will ruffle, as they browse, Those old meadow-gods, the cows; He will toss, like prancing steeds, All the beanfields and the reeds, Whilst the scattered clouds on high Speed like galleons through the sky. We alone are safe indoors, Sheltered by the sycamores.

On the Road in February

Biography

Frances Cornford (1886–1960) was an English poet who lived most of her life in Cambridge, England, and was connected to the prominent Darwin and Cornford intellectual families. Her poetry is known for its wit, precision, and gentle irony, often focusing on domestic scenes, nature, and moments of quiet reflection. She frequently employed a light, epigrammatic style that balanced humor with a sense of pathos, as seen in her widely anthologized poem 'To a Fat Lady Seen from the Train.' Cornford published several collections, including Poems (1910) and Different Days (1928), and her work has been recognized for its formal dexterity and emotional restraint. Though not as celebrated as some of her contemporaries, she remains a respected figure in early twentieth-century English poetry, noted for her accessible yet artful verse.

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