Kelmscott Manor - For the Bed at Kelmscott

"In William Morris's room at Kelmscott Manor, the early-seventeenth century carved oak bed has an embroidered valance and bed-hangings that were designed in 1891 by May Morris, his daughter, and worked by May with the help of Lily Yeats and Ellen Wright (two Morris & Co. embroiderers). The poem "For the Bed at Kelmscott" was written by William Morris for the project. [It is is embroidered on the vallance.] May Morris also designed the bedcover, which was embroidered by Jane Morris ..." -Link-

THE wind's on the wold
And the night is a-cold,
And Thames runs chill
'Twixt mead and hill.
But kind and dear
Is the old house here
And my heart is warm
'Midst winter's harm.
Rest then and rest,
And think of the best
'Twixt summer and spring,
When all birds sing
In the town of the tree,
And ye in me
And scarce dare move,
Lest earth and its love
Should fade away
Ere the full of the day.
I am old and have seen
Many things that have been;
Both grief and peace
And wane and increase
No tale I tell
Of ill or well,
But this I say:
Night treadeth on day,
And for worst and best
Right good is rest.

Kelmscott Manor
painting by May Morris

More about Kelmscott Manor from Margaret:
http://www.theearthlyparadise.com/2008/02/william-morris-and-kelmscott-manor.html

http://www.kelmscottmanor.org.uk/
http://www.morrissociety.org/poems.htm#lines

First image courtesy ... William Morris Fan Club