University of Virginia Library

THE HOLIDAY WALK

Come Eliza & Anna lay bye top & ball
& Freddy boy throw away cart & toys all
Look about for your hats & dispence with your play
We'll seek for the fields & be happy to day
Do but hark at the shouts of the boys by the school
As noisey & merry as geese in a pool
While the master himself is so sick of his thrall
That he laughs like the merriest child of them all
While they race with their shadows he joins in the fray
& leaps oer the “cat gallows” nimble as they
As glad to get out of his school in the sun
As a captive would be from his prison to run
The morning invites us to walk come along
Tis so sweet that the sparrow een tries at a song
The dews are all gone save amid the dark glooms
Neath the woods crowded leaves were the sun never comes
Nor need we regret that the dews linger there
For brambles defye us to come if we dare
& doubtless each poor little bird in the end
Is glad to consider the bramble its friend
For girls even often its dwelling destroys
& boys are so cruel birds cannot like boys
So we'll be contented to roam far away
Through bean fields in blossom & closes of hay
Do but look at those ducks how delighted they seem
All plashing & cleaning themselves in the stream
& the swallow that loves in black chimneys to sing
Will scarcely dart oer without washing his wing
Now were out of the town see the fields how they smile
So sweet that the boy climbs astride on the stile
To gaze round about him as much as to say
I should like to go where it pleased me to day
But poor little fellow he wishes in spite
Of his toil—for his sheep they want tending till night
Look here as we come in this cool narrow lane
How close martins pass us & pass us again
Darting on by the side of the hedges they go
As swift as an arrow shot out of a bow
The dust is all past which we met in the street
& the grass like a carpet spreads under our feet
See theres a fine Butterflye sits on that leaf
Aye you may go creeping as still as a thief
It can hear you & see you—see there up it flies
With wings like the rain bow youve seen in the skies
Yes yes you may run there it crosses the stream
As far out of reach as a joy in a dream
Aye now it delights ye to look at the sky
Those are hawks sailing proud as the clouds & as high
See there ones at rest hanging still even now
As fixed in the air as a bird on a bough
These are sweet sights in sooth but the milking maid sees
The sky every morning wear sweeter than these
When she hies to her cows while the sun large & round
Starts up like a table of fire from the ground
& she sees it so often she gives it no praise
Though some never saw it not once all their days
This morning I marked in what splendour he rose
Like a king of the east ere his journey he goes
His bed in the skys any fancy might trace
With a curtain of scarlet half hiding his face
Then as he rose up to his throne for a seat
It changed to a carpet of gold at his feet
Then as a majicians wand touched it there came
A dye oer the east of all hues ye can name
A dappled profusion of gold blue & red
Like pavements of rubies where angels may tread
A shadow een now of its splendour remains
Like an old ruined tapestry all blotches & stains
Giving lessons of grandeur & earthly parade
To think even heaven hath glories that fade
Nay sigh not at all you shall see bye & bye
The sun rise as oft as the milkmaid & I
Stop theres a whasps nest what a bustle & hum
Like legions of armies where danger is come
There they rush one by one in their jackets of yellow
Not one offers fight but he's backed by his fellow
So come on nor reach at that rose on the bower
We'll hazard no wounds for the sake of a flower
Heres the snail with his fine painted shell at his back
& theres one without in his jacket of black
The paths even covered with insects—each sort
Flock by crowds in the smiles of the morning to sport
Theres the cricket in brown & his couzin in green
The Grasshopper dancing & oer them is seen
The lady bird dressed like a hunter in red
Creeping out from the blossoms with whom she went bed
So good little girls now disturb not their play
& you Freddy stop till they hop far away
For to kill them in sport as a many folks will
& call it a pastime tis cruel & ill
As their lives are as sweet of enjoyment as ours
& they doat like yourselves upon sunshine & flowers
See yonders some boys all at swee in the cool
On the wood riding gate playing truant from school
How gladly they seek the fields freedom to play
To swee creaking gates & to roll in the hay
Mocking loud the wood ecchoes that answer again
In musical haloos so soft & so plain
That they no longer dread them as jiants or elves
But think them all boys fond of sport as themselves
& they shout in their pastimes to coax them away
From the woods gloomy arbours to join in their play
Now loves ye are weary I see by your walk
Well well heres a sweet cock of hay on the baulk
An ash hung with ivy too leans from the stile
So sit you down here & we'll rest us awhile
But not on that molehill for see what a mass
Of pismires are nimbling about in the grass
If you had crumbs to throw them theyed haul them away
& never seem weary the whole summers day
& if you sit on them as small as they are
Theyll sting you & teaze you so prythee beware
Do but look how the fields slope away from our eyes
Till the trees in the distance seem clouds in the skyes
A map spreads about us in greens of all stains
Dark woods paler meadows & fields varied grains
& look oer the gap of yon hedge & behold
Yon turnip lands seeming as littered with gold
Tis the charlock in blossom a troublesome weed
Yet a beautiful sight in the distance indeed
They are nought for a nosegay yet still in fine weather
You see what a show they make growing together
Aye yonder are steeples that catch on the eye
Like jiants of stone stretching up the blue sky
& windmills are sweeping their sails up & down
& cottages peeping all sunny & brown
See the cows grazing yonder & less quiet sheep
Some at feed & some chewing their cuds till they sleep
Thus the prospect in varied profusions abound
& spreadeth a beautiful picture around
Though there shines no old ruins for artists to prize
Nor mountains to thrust up their heads to the skyes
Yet as like Dewints pictures as nature can be
For nature owns no sweeter painter than he
Nay dont be alarmed & start up from the hay
Thats nought but a little mouse running away
& now she finds out we're not foes to destroy
Do but hear in the grass how she chitters for joy
No doubt in the beans nigh at hand may sojourn
Her childern awaiting her mothers return
See there where the willow bends over the brook
At our feet like an old shepherd over his crook
Neath its boughs Gnats & midges are still at their play
Like ball rooms of faireys all dancing away
Aye there in rich dress goes the great dragon flye
Like another proud thing buzzing scornfully bye
He scarce turns his head on their dancing & glee
& theyre full as carless of notice as he
O dont you my Anna be cruel & vain
The smallest of things are not strangers to pain
That long legged shepherd youve caught let him go
For he knows naught at all what you threaten no no
Though you tell him you'll kill both his son & his daughter
If he will not afford you a small drop of water
Your threats & your language he cant understand
Though he sheds tears for freedom while shut in your hand
& heres little Freddy crying “click clocking clay”
Poh—Lady birds know not the time of the day
Of “one oclock two oclock” no such a thing
So give it its freedom & let it take wing
Well now if your rested we'll wander again
Here the path strides the brook over closes of grain
So who's first to venture—come never see fear
Though the plank bends beneath us [no] danger is near
Well if you are fearful we'll turn back & go
Where stepping stones ford oer a shallow below
Dangers seldom my childern so near as we think
& often seems far when we stand on the brink
As the runlet in shallows bawls loud & in deeps
Decietfully sinks into silence & sleeps
Do but try how delicious those bean blossoms smell
No flower in the garden delights me so well
Perfuming the nest of the Partridge that lies
Basking safe in the shadows their forrest supplies
& the hare heres a beaten path tracks her retreat
Feels timidly safe in her corn covered seat
On this mown baulk no doubt she oft ventures to play
When a grasshoppers rustle might fright her away
How sweet & how happy such places appear
Well indeed may you wish that our cottage was here
With the wild bees for neighbours the whole summer long
& the Lark ever near us a piping his song
With the beans in full blossom close up to our door
& cows in the distance at feed on the moor
& grasshoppers singing wherere we might roam
& partridges calling at night by our home
Where we might sit at eve in our parlour & see
The rabbit bob out from that old hollow tree
& hear from yon thicket so gloomy & deep
The sweet little nightingale sing us to sleep
Which we heard tother night—dont you reccolect now
When I clomb the wood stile to get each one a bough
How one sung “jug jug” & you all sung amain
“Jug jug” & laughed loud as it answered again
Aye aye I knew well such a beautiful song
Would not be so quickly forgot come along
For the day gets so hot you may well wish again
To meet with the coolness we left in the lane
Do but [look] at our shadows what strangers weve got
Those jiants that came with us first from our cot
Stalking on stride for stride in a pomp stirring mood
Nigh as tall as the oaks that lay peeled by the wood
Whose long legs might cross a brook ever so wide
& leap oer a hedge nay a house at a stride
Theyve left us & shrunk from our sight by degrees
To childern & dwarfs scarce as high as our knees
That as we go on shrink so close to our feet
As if they were glad to get out of the heat
Come here is the foot path that leads to the town
Dont stop tis so hot loves we cannot sit down
O I see what delights ye—aye climb on the stile
& look round about as ye wish for awhile
Those things that go sweeing away to the wind
Though the willows scarce move that are growing behind
Are the sails of the Mill—& indeed as you say
They follow each other like things in their play
Now dropping then rising their wearisome round
& seem where you stand to spring out of the ground
Yon shepherd boy doubtless thinks so as he lies
Lolling oer the gate gazing in happy supprise
See now they move slower the winds nearly still
& there comes the miller—look—out of his mill
To peep at the weather with meal powderd oer
More white then the dog rose in bloom by the door
See there goes the mower a sweeping away
& yon folks in the nook see are stacking of hay
Some loading some forking the grounds are alive
With their labour as busy as bees in a hive
Theres no one seems idle but this little boy
Who runs after butterflyes bawling for joy
& now he has run like a fox in the wheat
If the farmer came bye he would surely get beat
The partridge whirs up frit away from her nest
& the hare with the morning dew yet on her breast
Jumps away from his hustle & bustle & noise
Which he makes in the midst of his rapture & joys
Now singing & tearing up weeds of all sorts
Showy corn poppys shining like foxhunters coats
& bluecaps & cockleflowers no matter what
To make a gay garland to stick in his hat
& now he struts out what a gesture he wears
As proud of his colours as soldiers of theirs
& why may he not be as vain as the rest
Of proud folk were the proudest are baubles at best
—Yes summer indeed bringeth pleasure to all
That colt feels its freedom now loosed from its stall
& even this wearisome wayfaring ass
Can find on the common his bunches of grass
While round the warped camp neath yon bushes & trees
The gipseys lie basking themselves at their ease
& the gipsey boys shaking their rags to the sun
Are head over ears in their frolic & fun
Chasing barefoot along with their dogs by their side
Barking loud as the rabbits bob by them to hide
See there sit the swath summer lovers at play
Neath the shade of those broad spreading maples all day
Those brown tawney lasses with lips like a cherry
& hair full as dark as the autumn blackberry
The mole hillocks make them soft cushions for love
& the hedges in harbours hang blooming above
As blest as the rich who on sofas reposes
They toy neath the shades of wild woodbines & roses
—Now look at the sky it grows muddy with showers
& black snails are creeping about in the flowers
The daisey too look tis a good weather glass
It seems even now half asleep in the grass
& other flowers too like the sun on the wane
Are shutting their eyes & seem dreaming of rain
While that shepherd boy yonder is startled from sleep
Peeping up at the sky as he bawls to his sheep
No doubt he is seeking his hut by the hedge
All wattled with willows & covered with sedge
To lie on his bed of cut brakes & be dry
While the threatened approach of the storm lessens bye
Now I see you are glad to get sight of the town
See theres the old spire & below it look down
Our cottage is peeping aye now you see't plain
As if it was happy to find us again
& happy am I we're so nigh to the door
So run in & take to your play as before
Or rest in your chairs from the toils of the day
By the oak bough that blooms in the chimney so gay
See there waining sunbeams they twitter & fall
Through the diamond paned window to dance on the wall
The pictures seem smiling its glitter to court
& up jumps the kitten to join in the sport
Aye well may you say you are glad weve got home
For sweeter it seemeth the farther we roam
So now we'll sit down & enjoy at our ease
The rest leisure gives us & do as we please
Take your toys or read lessons & chatter between
Of the walk we have had & the things we have seen
& while you are pleasing or resting yourselves
I'll reach down a poet I love from the shelves
My Thompson or Cowper like flowers in their prime
That set not in closets to study & ryhme
But roamed out of doors for their verses that yield
A freshness like that which we left in the field
That sing both at once to the ear & the eye
& breath of the air & the grass & the sky
A music so sweet while we're hid from the rain
That we even seem taking our rambles again