Classic Poem

In stifling mows the men became oppressed,
And hastened forth hard breathing and o'ercome;
The hatching hen stood panting in her nest,
The sick earth swooned in languor and was dumb.

The dust-dull'd crickets lay in heedless ease
Of trampling hoofs along the beaten drives,
And from the fields the home-returning bees,
Limp wing'd and tired, lit short before their hives.

The drooping dog moped aimlessly around;
Lop'd down, got up, snapt at the gnats; in pits
Knee deep, the tethered horses stamped the ground,
And switched at bot-flies dabbing yellow nits.

With heads held prone the sheep in huddles stood
Through fear of gads — the lambs, too, ceased to romp;
The cows were wise to seek the covert wood,
Or belly deep stand hidden in the swamp.

So dragged the day, but when the dusk grew deep
The stagnant heat increased; we lit no light,
But sat out-doors, too faint and sick for sleep;
Such was the stupor of that August night.