The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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THE DISSAPOINTED MILKMAID |
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
105
THE DISSAPOINTED MILKMAID
Along the road as goes the taleA Cuntrey girl with milking pale
Thus profits from her ware to sell
E're she got there began to tell
‘This milk will bring me at a Clash
‘Tenpence or more in ready cash
‘And then that tenpence will effegs
‘Buy me at least a dozen eggs
‘Then from them eggs—lets see—if set
‘Beneath a hen—why—I shall get
‘We'll say ten chickens—them when grown
‘Will clear a pig to be my own
‘That pretty pig when fat I vow
‘Will make me Mistriss of a Cow!
‘Then from the dairey in a souse
‘I get enough to buy a house—
‘Theres for y' then—(with land to plough!)
‘What I'm come to by saving now!
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‘And then a sweetheart!’—at that word
She jump'd for joy—but thought no more
Of what she'd on her head before
Till down it squashd upon the ground
And laid the dusty road around
So there whent milk—and thats not all
For in that sad dissasterous fall
Her Eggs, her poultrey, piggs, and Cow,
With dairy, House, and land to plough—
But O of accidents the worst
Misfortune urghing to be curst
That sweetheart worse than all desir'd
In this too shocking fall expir'd!
Then let us take warning that we may'n't be catch'd
But keep the old proverb in view
‘Not to crack of our chickings before they are hatch'd’
As ‘Golden dreams seldom come true’
| The early poems of John Clare | |