Ochil Idylls and Other Poems by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
“THE RED, GREEN, AND THE YELLOW.” |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
 | Ochil Idylls and Other Poems |  |
113
“THE RED, GREEN, AND THE YELLOW.”
ACT I.
This is the scene: a red-plough'd field
To the feet of spectator inclining;
He can see in the furrows here and there
The mark of the ploughshare shining.
To the feet of spectator inclining;
He can see in the furrows here and there
The mark of the ploughshare shining.
Enter above, with his arms a-swing,
In the blue sky bending o'er him,
One who walks straight down the field,
Weaving his way before him.
In the blue sky bending o'er him,
One who walks straight down the field,
Weaving his way before him.
No other person is on the stage;
He is the sole attraction;
He comes and goes, and he comes and goes,—
That is the whole of the action.
He is the sole attraction;
He comes and goes, and he comes and goes,—
That is the whole of the action.
ACT II.
Scene for the second act's just the same,
But enter never a person;
There's either a hitch, or behind the scenes
The actors are busy rehearsin'.
But enter never a person;
There's either a hitch, or behind the scenes
The actors are busy rehearsin'.
114
They're all in the village below
Drinking and debating;
Provincial actors are so slow;
And mean while the piece is waiting.
Drinking and debating;
Provincial actors are so slow;
And mean while the piece is waiting.
No! there's an actor up in the sky,
He's the Star of the Globe, moreover;
His part is quiet, but acted well—
It's only crossing over.
He's the Star of the Globe, moreover;
His part is quiet, but acted well—
It's only crossing over.
He crosses, and crosses, and crosses again,
But there enters never a chap in.
What's this?—the stage—it's turning green!
Something's going to happen!
But there enters never a chap in.
What's this?—the stage—it's turning green!
Something's going to happen!
ACT III.
The scene is a golden harvest field,
And indeed there's a splendid yield here;
The village is left to the old folks to-day,
The rest are all in the field here.
And indeed there's a splendid yield here;
The village is left to the old folks to-day,
The rest are all in the field here.
The scythe and the sickle,—how brightly they glance!
There are thirty people, or over—
Cutters, and lifters, and bandsters, and bairns,
The farmer on horseback, and Rover.
There are thirty people, or over—
Cutters, and lifters, and bandsters, and bairns,
The farmer on horseback, and Rover.
115
There's movement and bustle, the swish of the scythe,
Joking, and singing, and laughter,
And flirting and wooing the maidens among,
And possible weddings thereafter!
Joking, and singing, and laughter,
And flirting and wooing the maidens among,
And possible weddings thereafter!
| Ochil Idylls and Other Poems | |