The early poems of John Clare :: :: University of Virginia Library

Tho neath young aprils watery sky
The sun gleamd warm & roads were dry
& tho the valleys bush & tree
Stood still as naked on the lea
A flush of green & freshing glow
In melting patches gun to show
That swelling buds woud soon again
In summers livery bless the plain
The thrushes too gun clear their throats
& got by heart some two 'r three notes
Of their intended summer song
To cheer me as I strolld along
The wild heath triumphd in its scenes
Of goss & lings perpetual greens
& just to say that spring was come
The vi'let left its woodland home
& hermit like from storms & wind
Sought the best shelter it coud find
Neath long grass banks wi feeble powers
Peeping faintly purple flowers
While oft unhousd from beds of ling
The fluskering pheasant took to wing
& bobbing rabbits wild & shy
Their white tails glancing on the eye
Just prickt their long ears listning round
& sought their coverts under ground
The heath was left & then at will
A road swept gently round the hill
From whose high crown as soodling bye
A distant prospect charmd my eye
Of closes green & fallows brown
& distant glimpse of cot & town
& steeple beckning on the sight
By morning sunbeams painted white
& darksome woods wi shadings sweet
To make the landscape round compleat

& distant waters glistning bye
As if the ground was patchd wi sky
While on the blue horisons line
The far off things did dimly shine
Which wild conjecture only sees
& fancy moulds to clouds & trees
& thinks if thither she coud flye
Shed find the close of earth & sky—
& as she turns to look again
On nearer objects wood & plain
So lovley truths to fictions seem
One warms as wak'ning from a dream
The covert hedge from either side
The black bird flutterd terryfied
Mistaking me for pilfering boy
That but too oft their nests destroy
& ‘prink prink prink’ they took to wing
In snugger shades to build & sing
From tufted grass or bush the hare
Oft sprung from her endangerd lare
Suprise een startld on her rout
So near ones feet she bolted out
The sun each tree top mounted oer
& got church steeple height or more
& as I soodld on & on
The ground was warm to look upon
It een invited one to rest
& have a nap upon its breast
But thought upon my journeys end
Where doubtful fancys did depend
Urgd on my lazy feet to roam
As truant school boys kept from home
I opt each gate wi idle swing
& stood to listen ploughmen sing
While cracking whip & gingling gears
Recalld the toils of boyis[h] years

When like to them I took my rounds
Oer elting moulds of fallow grounds
Wi feet neer shooless paddling thro
The bitterst blasts that ever blew
Wi napless beaver weatherd brown
That want oft wore wi out its crown
A poor unfriended ragged boy
Prest ere a child wi mans employ
Tis past—tis gone—in musings lost
So thought I leaning oer the post
& even jumpt wi joy to see
Kind fate so highly favour me
To clear the storms of boyish hours
& manhoods opening strew wi flowers
To bid such hopes mans summer blow
As boys weak spring dare never sow
& every day desires at will
To make each hope bloom brighter still
Wi joys as sweet as heart coud melt
Wi feelings dear as ere was felt
I met at last as like a spell
The witching views of Holy well
Where hills towrd high their crowns wi pride
& vales dropt head long by their side
Bestript wi shades of green & gray
The furdale & the naked tree
While underneath their mingling grains
The river silverd down the plains
& bolting on the strangers sight
As stars blink out from clouds at night
Beside the stream a cotters shed
Low in the hollow heavd its head
Its tennants seemd most snug to dwell
As lives a bee wi in its cell
Its chimley top high ash embowers
Beside its wall the river powers

Its guggling sounds in wirling sweep
That een might lull a child to sleep
Before the door untrod wi pads
The green sward many a beauty adds
& daisey there & cowslip too
& butter cups of golden hue
The childern meet as soon as sought
& gain their wish as soon as thought
Who oft I ween the childerns way
Will leap the thresholds bounds to play
& spite of parents chiding calls
Will straggle where the water falls
& neath the hanging bushes creep
For vi'let bud & primrose peep
& sigh wi anxious eager dream
For water blobs amid the stream
& up the hill side turn anon
To pick the daiseys one by one
Then anxious to their cottage bound
To show the prize their searches found
Whose medly flowers red white & blue
As well can please their parents too
Which from the care their skill contrives
In flower pots many a day survives
Ah thus conjecturing musing still
I cast a look from off the hill
& lolld me gen a propping tree
& thought for then as twas wi me
I did the same in april time
& spoilt the daiseys earliest prime
Robd every primrose root I met
& oft times got the root to set
& joyful home each nose gay bore
& felt as I shall feel no more
The bridge now gaind