Classic Poem

Now summer is in flower & natures hum
Is never silent round her sultry bloom
Insects as small as dust are never done
Wi' glittering dance & reeling in the sun
& green wood fly & blossom haunting bee
Are never weary of their melody
Round field hedge now flowers in full glory twine
Large bindweed bells wild hop & streakd woodbine
That lift athirst their slender throated flowers
Agape for dew falls & for honey showers
These round each bush in sweet disorder run
& spread their wild hues to the sultry sun
Were its silk netting lace on twigs & leaves
The mottld spider at eves leisure weaves
That every morning meet the poets eye
Like faireys dew wet dresses hung to dry
The wheat swells into ear & leaves below
The may month wild flowers & their gaudy show
Bright carlock bluecap & corn poppy red
Which in such clouds of colors wid[e]ly spread
That at the sun rise might to fancys eye
Seem to reflect the many colord sky
& leverets seat & lark & partridge nest
It leaves a schoolboys height in snugger rest
& oer the weeders labour overgrows
Who now in merry groups each morning goes
To willow skirted meads wi fork & rake
The scented hay cocks in long rows to make
Were their old visitors in russet brown
The hay time butterflyes dance up & down
& gads that teaze like whasps the timid maid
& drive the herdboys cows to pond & shade
Who when his dogs assistance fails to stop
Is forcd his half made oaten pipes to drop
& start & halloo thro the dancing heat
To keep their gadding tumult from the wheat
Who in their rage will dangers overlook
& leap like hunters oer the pasture brook
Brushing thro blossomd beans in maddening haste
& stroying corn they scarce can stop to taste
Labour pursues its toil in weary mood
& feign woud rest wi shadows in the wood
The mowing gangs bend oer the beeded grass
Were oft the gipseys hungry journeying ass
Will turn its wishes from the meadow paths
Listning the rustle of the falling swaths
The ploughman sweats along the fallow vales
& down the suncrackt furrow slowly trails
Oft seeking when athirst the brooks supply
Were brushing eager the brinks bushes bye
For coolest water he oft brakes the rest
Of ring dove brooding oer its idle nest
& there as loath to leave the swaily place
He'll stand to breath & whipe his burning face
The shepherds idle hours are over now
Nor longer leaves him neath the hedgrow bough
On shadow pillowd banks & lolling stile
Wilds looses now their summer friends awhile
Shrill whistles barking dogs & chiding scold
Drive bleating sheep each morn from fallow fold
To wash pits were the willow shadows lean
Dashing them in their fold staind coats to clean
Then turnd on sunny sward to dry agen
They drove them homward to the clipping pen
In hurdles pent were elm or sycamore
Shut out the sun — or in some threshing floor
There they wi scraps of songs & laugh & tale
Lighten their anual toils while merry ale
Goes round & gladdens old mens hearts to praise
The thread bare customs of old farmers days
Who while the sturting sheep wi trembling fears
Lies neath the snipping of his harmless sheers
Recalls full many a thing by bards unsung
& pride forgot — that reignd when he was young
How the hugh bowl was in the middle set
At breakfast time as clippers yearly met
Filld full of frumity were yearly swum
The streaking sugar & the spotting plumb
Which maids coud never to the table bring
Without one rising from the merry ring
To lend a hand who if twas taen amiss
Woud sell his kindness for a stolen kiss
The large stone pitcher in its homly trim
& clouded pint horn wi its copper rim
Oer which rude healths was drank in spirits high
From the best broach the cellar woud supply
While sung the ancient swains in homly rhymes
Songs that were pictures of the good old times
When leathern bottles held the beer nut brown
That wakd the sun wi songs & sung him down
Thus will the old man ancient ways bewail
Till toiling sheers gain ground upon the tale
& brakes it off — when from the timid sheep
The fleece is shorn & wi a fearfull leap
He starts — while wi a pressing hand
His sides are printed by the tarry brand
Shaking his naked skin wi wondering joys
& fresh ones are tugd in by sturdy boys
Who when theyre thrown down neath the sheering swain
Will wipe his brow & start his tale again
Tho fashions haughty frown hath thrown aside
Half the old forms simpl[i]city supplyd
Yet there are some prides winter deigns to spare
Left like green ivy when the trees are bare
& now when sheering of the flocks are done
Some ancient customs mixd wi harmless fun
Crowns the swains merry toils — the timid maid
Pleasd to be praisd & yet of praise affraid
Seeks her best flowers not those of woods & fields
But such as every farmers garden yield[s]
Fine cabbage roses painted like her face
& shining pansys trimd in golden lace
& tall tuft larkheels featherd thick wi flowers
& woodbines climbing oer the door in bowers
& London tufts of many a mottld hue
& pale pink pea & monkshood darkly blue
& white & purple jiliflowers that stay
Lingering in blossom summer half away
& single blood walls of a lucious smell
Old fashiond flowers which huswives love so well
& columbines stone blue or deep night brown
Their honey-comb-like blossoms hanging down
Each cottage gardens fond adopted child
Tho heaths still claim them were they yet grow wild
Mong their old wild companions summer blooms
Furze brake & mozzling ling & golden broom
Snap dragons gaping like to sleepy clowns
& " clipping pinks " (which maidens sunday gowns
Full often wear catcht at by toying chaps)
Pink as the ribbons round their snowy caps
" Bess in her bravery " too of glowing dyes
As deep as sunsets crimson pillowd skyes
& majoram notts sweet briar & ribbon grass
& lavender the choice of every lass
& sprigs of lads love all familiar names
Which every garden thro the village claims
These the maid gathers wi a coy delight
& tyes them up in readiness for night
Giving to every swain tween love & shame
Her " clipping poseys " as their yearly claim
& turning as he claims the custom kiss
Wi stifld smiles half ankering after bliss
She shrinks away & blushing calls it rude
But turns to smile & hopes to be pursued
While one to whom the seeming hint applied
Follows to claim it & is not denyd
No doubt a lover for within his coat
His nosgay owns each flower of better sort
& when the envious mutter oer their beer
& nodd the secret to his neighbor near
Raising the laugh to make the matter known
She blushes silent & will not disown
& ale & songs & healths & merry ways
Keeps up a shadow of old farmers days
But the old beachen bowl that once supplyd
Its feast of frumity is thrown aside
& the old freedom that was living then
When masters made them merry wi their men
Whose coat was like his neighbors russet brown
& whose rude speech was vulgar as his clown
Who in the same horn drank the rest among
& joind the chorus while a labourer sung
All this is past — & soon may pass away
The time torn remnant of the holiday
As proud distinction makes a wider space
Between the genteel & the vulgar race
Then must they fade as pride oer custom showers
Its blighting mildew on her feeble flowers