Classic Poem

My longing wishes, wand'ring wide
Beyond the good I had,
Would hang on other gifts, that pride
Might turn from good to bad.
And in my dream I still would hope
For this green slope, where now the stream
Or gives or takes, with rambling flight,
My jutting land on left or right,
By dipping downs, at dawn of day,
Or dewy dells, when daylight dies.

And I have lofty trees to sway,
Where western wind may roar
Against their bowing heads, to play
The softer round my door,
As on they pass and chase the flight
Of running light on shaded grass,
And sweep along the shaken sedge,
And rustle by the dead-leav'd hedge,
By morning meads, or mid-day mound,
Or mellow midnight's mounted moon.

And there two cows with wide-horn'd head
Now stalk, onstepping slow,
And one is dun, and one is red,
With face as white as snow;
And there full wide of back 's my mare,
For some long pair of legs to stride,
A cunning jade, that now would find
Out all my roads if I were blind,
By winding ways, on-wand'ring wide,
Or wilder waste, or wind-blown wood.

And when my work has brought me all
Its earnings, day by day,
And I have paid each man his call
On me for lawful pay,
I still can spare enough to grant
My wife a jaunt, with weather fair,
Or buy my boy a taking toy,
Or make a doll my daughter's joy,
With limber limbs all lopping loose,
Or leaning low in little laps.