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

From huddling nights embrace how chill
The winters waking days begin
Dull reddening oer the easts blea hill
& creeping sad & shyly in
Now gilds the sun each bare tree top
& pale peeps thro each window light
While from the eaves the 'icles drop
That eke afresh their tails at night

The snow & rhyme lodge every where
Each cot in dazzling white is drest
Nor thatch nor witherd weeds appear
Were birds their numbing feet may rest
& every twig thro wood & plain
Were summer hing her greening bough
Wild winters mockerey cloaths again
With hoary shapes & shadows now

The street is throngd with bawling boys
Who pat their reddend fingers warm
& eager after dithering joys
Unheeding brave each pelting storm
To roll their jiant forms of snow
Or slide—or seeking rude repast
Hirpling by hedges were the slow
Hangs mellowd by the biting blast

683

Past noons thawd snow along the street
Stiffend to ice now night has been
Oft baulks the maidens stepping feet
Who falls & blushes to be seen
While amourous feelings inly warms
Some passing clown who turns to steal
A glimpse of modestys alarms
Which such like accidents reveal

In winters surley depth how sweet
To meet those comforts we desire
Possesing some snug corner seat
Were blazes nigh the welcome fire
Warming ones toes upon the hearth
& reading poems not too long
While basks the cat in purring mirth
While crickets sing their winter song

& winters tiresome hours to cheat
Have means to visit now & then
Were neighbours oer their tankard meet
& there the corner share agen
Each confort suiting best to chuse
To sit & crump warm penny rolls
Or take short snatches oer the news
While warms the nappy on the coals

& when suns creep the[i]r warmest height
& north winds wisper nearly still
When greening patches meet the sight
On southward slant of bank or hill

684

& berrys freed from rhyme awhile
Shines red on hedgrow twigs again
One may a midday hour beguile
To walk in shielding wood & plain

To track some woodlands gentle ride
Where hanging branches lend a screen
Or banks slopd down on either side
Were sheltering vallys creep between
As down such hollows one proceeds
We instant feel a warmer day
While mong each bank tops rustling weeds
Winds noise their unfelt rage away

Each twig when touchd tho hardly stird
Its white shower litters to the ground
& from the shake of startld bird
The ryhme like powder puthers round
& as one fails those tracks to meet
By shepherds made & foddering boys
The snow shrinks from our hastning feet
Harsh crumping with incessant noise

Now view the prospect were we will
On woods above or vales below
Or nigh or distant winter still
Stretches his dazzling scene of snow
The very spire points catch the eye
As changd with winters frowning pride
& were a sunbeam cannot lye
Shine whitend on their northern side

685

The arch of light around us bowd
Stretches for days its cloudless skye
Save freckling shadows of a cloud
That loose to nothing passing bye
Tho clouds oft darken closing day
& round the north disorderd lye
Like rocks with bases torn away
On nothing hung 'tween earth & skye

Nature that pauses nearly dumb
But startles some complaint to make
Not like the buried busy hum
Which banishd summer kept awake—
Were sheep their bleating wants reveal
& hollow noise of bawling cow
That wait the fodderers stinted meal
Is all ones walks can listen now

Save when some clown with beatle breaks
The ponds thick ice for stock to drink
Wild noises round the village wakes
From geese that gabble on the brink
Who mope & brood about the snows
When frost their plashy sport destroys
Till such scant chance relief bestows
To urge afresh their squalling joys

Oft oer one flyes the chirping lark
With rhyme hung round his chilly breast
Complaining of some dogs rude bark
That scard him from his chilly rest

686

& oft from snowbanks ridgy edge
The hare steps hirpling oer the plain
Till found a bush or bunch of sedge
Then drops its ears & squats again

& feebly whines the puddocks wail
Slow circling naked woods around
& wild geese ranks that swifter sail
Oft start one with a hoarser sound
While towering at the farthest height
The heron brawls its lonley cry
Who interscepts the dazzld light
& looks a cloud speck in the skye

The herdboys drawling noise is oer
& all the scenes his summer saw
His cows now haunt each threshers door
& pick in sullen mood the straw
The ploughmans song is vanishd now
& quawking rooks & chattering pyes
Are silent all—each idle plough
Froze in the snow hid furrow lyes

Made bold by want in many a flock
The ringdoves flye from solitude
& mingling share with friendly stock
A portion of their winter food
A meal which providence bestows
Were hardy turnip roots abound
& oft one sees upon the snows
Their little footmarks dinted round

687

Cold woods the blackbirds gladly shun
Were round their perch the 'icles freeze
& courts less shy the noonday sun
& hops about our garden trees
& little birds with hunger tame
To cottage yards undaunted go
Were pity warms some gentle dame
To scatter crumbles round the snow

Yet all save robins will retreat
& shun rude mans forbidding sight
Who seemly welcomes trampling feet
& ruffs its feathers in delight
Brisk hopping from its shielding thorn
As one who woud our steps detain
Then droops its wing & sits forlorn
When left to solitude again

In blackening droves the rook & crow
Flap the cold air with heavy wings
To seek what home will not bestow
As soon as morn the summons brings
Full many a weary mile they flye
To try what stranger fields will spare
Till eve returns her freezing sky
Then wearied to their homes repair

688

Tho dolld about reservd & shy
As one who hates to please us—still
Beautys will often catch the eye
From snow surrounding wood & hill
Those drops which nights chill finger hings
Froze on the point of every thorn
Are trifles kin to lovley things
When gilt by slanting beams of morn

& were in midway ripples still
The brook toils on its hasty tides
& slides the touch of winter chill
Save on its calmer sleeping sides
There frost his quiet toil resumd
Shoots streaking spars that wildly run
From weed to weed & shine illumnd
Like glittering stars before the sun

Were as one steps its oaken plank
The hollow frozen sounding noise
From flags & sedge beside the bank
The wild ducks brooding peace destroys
& snipes with long mishapen bill
Oft startles from intruding fears
Who haunt the brooks in winter chill
& vanish as the spring appears

The ivey greens in brightness now
& round the tree its beauty weaves
With chocolate berrys on its bough
& shoots of paler veined leaves

689

& beech trees tho their bloom is flown
Still fragments of the autumn wear
Muffld in leaves of rustling brown
Coy beautys wildness lingers there

& milking hovels passing bye
In some close nook were shelter dwells
& cows at quiet musing lye
Whose breath steams up in savourey smells
One often meets the healthy lass
As fair & fresh as summer flowers
Which leaves a pleasure as we pass
That gladdens winters lonley hours

& when a sudden thaw comes on
& floods like autumn roll & noise
When hills of snow are sunk & gone
Then winter has her added joys
Banks were the north wind never comes
Then greens as with the hopes of spring
& birds fly round their changing homes
Chirping as tho they tryd to sing

Woodpecker too whose glossy wings
Seem leaves upon each witherd oak
Were lurd by suns it often clings
& taps for hours its gentle stroak

690

& ravens croaking on the wing
& crows will clamours dittys raise
All busied with the hopes of spring
When thaws mock winters warmest days

The stock now huddld side to side
From winters nipping rage to brood
Will then disperse & wander wide
Nor wait the fodderers call to food
Yon sullen steed that hangs his head
Will prick his ears in pleasure then
& by the pastures promise fed
Will plunge in frolic joys agen

The swain then whistles to his sheep
Nor plods his dog behind his heels
As he was wont from winds to creep
But runs at random oer the fields
Chasing the startld hare by guess
Then stops & barks his master on
& in his antic joys excess
Forgets his puppy days are gone

Each bank smiles in the sunny hours
As sweet as those the spring provides
Save that they want the daisey flowers
& white lambs basking by their sides
Mays mildness mocks the gladdend sky
& clouds as swiftly clouds pursue
Save that no swallow cares to flye
Nor cuckoo sings the story true

691

Thus some few days may idly dwell
& hold the tempting season still
& tempt the early buds to swell
For lurking winters blast to kill
& many a flower on sunny slopes
That startles up the spring to see
Is doomd to loose their early hopes
& perish in their infancy

& oft one views the hairy leaves
Of woodbines in the shelterd plain
Sprouting when winters thaw decieves
To perish when he frowns again
& pity often mourns to meet
A daisey smiling to the sun
Unconsious of the tempting cheat
That fancys gentle spring begun

But short is natures waking hopes
A frowning cloud may cross the skyes
When sun & warmth & all elopes
& shriveld leaf & daisey dyes
As cuckoos songs in summer cease
As swallows from the autumn flew
So flyes in mistery winters peace
& storms steal on to frown anew

& give me then as now at eve
The chimney corners idle joys
As days cold scenes my rambles leave
To list the kettles simmering noise
& while the chimney mocks the blast
& windows quake with jarring din
Let doors & shutters tightend fast
Keep cold night out & comfort in