The sunlight shone down on the long road,
Deserted and silent;
No motor, or cyclist, nor horseman, nor even --
Save only for me, who went silent,
And a young girl who passed me, demure,
And as fresh as the Spring, and as lovely,
And daintily stepping.
And yet as she passed me I swear to you
Somebody coughed.
No merely civilian, inadequate, meaningless cough.
But a soldier's cough, chesty, profound,
And female/attention/compelling.
Yet the road was quite empty
Save only for me, who went silent,
And the lovely demure/stepping maid,
And the statue of Gough on his horse,
With his field-marshal's baton.