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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ROBIN AND SUKE
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
21
ROBIN AND SUKE
or The Midnight Quarrel
A Ballad
It thunder'd loud—the clock struck nine
And pitchy darkness come
Poor frighted suke began to whine
For Robin worn't got home
And pitchy darkness come
Poor frighted suke began to whine
For Robin worn't got home
No friendly moon to lend her light
He's all in darkness crost
Then who could think in such a night
But what he would be lost
He's all in darkness crost
Then who could think in such a night
But what he would be lost
She rocks her chair and sobs and cries
In a despairing plight
The dying fire neglected lies
A mellancholy sight
In a despairing plight
The dying fire neglected lies
A mellancholy sight
And oft she ventures in the street
Amid the dark profound
And often thinks she hears his feet
Along the unseen ground
Amid the dark profound
And often thinks she hears his feet
Along the unseen ground
But ah! these fancied thoughts were vain
No robin yet was nigh
She shuts the hated door again
And heaves a mournful sigh
No robin yet was nigh
She shuts the hated door again
And heaves a mournful sigh
22
‘He's surely lost or else I think
‘He would'n't stop thus late
‘Unless the nasty vaporing drink
‘Has settled in his pate’
‘He would'n't stop thus late
‘Unless the nasty vaporing drink
‘Has settled in his pate’
‘If so I hope he's sence enough
‘To shun that lonley park
‘The footpads are so wildley rough
‘And more so in the dark’
‘To shun that lonley park
‘The footpads are so wildley rough
‘And more so in the dark’
‘Besides them fishponds black and deep
‘Lie just beside the road
‘O! if the precious moon could peep
‘It would be well bestow'd’
‘Lie just beside the road
‘O! if the precious moon could peep
‘It would be well bestow'd’
Such are the might be doubts and fears
That haunt the troubl'd breast
And his past conduct fresh appears
Which makes her more distrest
That haunt the troubl'd breast
And his past conduct fresh appears
Which makes her more distrest
But hope that name which all invokes
Brought notions much more free
‘Perhaps’ she cries ‘theres other folks
‘About as well as he’
Brought notions much more free
‘Perhaps’ she cries ‘theres other folks
‘About as well as he’
Thus consolated from despair
By hopes assistance blest
She sits down in her old low chair
To make herself at rest
By hopes assistance blest
She sits down in her old low chair
To make herself at rest
23
But when a mind is once distres't
What trifles will renew
A dreadful owl when all at rest
Near to her window flew
What trifles will renew
A dreadful owl when all at rest
Near to her window flew
It shriek't how horrid was the tone
Especially to her
She sigh'd and cried ‘by this I'm shown
‘That worse things will occur’
Especially to her
She sigh'd and cried ‘by this I'm shown
‘That worse things will occur’
Again what hopeles doubts and fears
Disturb her troubl'd breast
Again that dreaded park appears
In horrors mantle drest
Disturb her troubl'd breast
Again that dreaded park appears
In horrors mantle drest
In the dark wood she see's him stand
Prest with contending strife
Distinct she hears the rogues demand
‘Your money or your life’
Prest with contending strife
Distinct she hears the rogues demand
‘Your money or your life’
Frighted to death with thoughts like these
All hopes away she threw
Vain as they where nought could appease
Now she believ'd them true
All hopes away she threw
Vain as they where nought could appease
Now she believ'd them true
The fire gone out and tinder damp
She mourn'd her troubles sore
But ere she struck a rough-hew'd stamp
Spoke something near the door
She mourn'd her troubles sore
But ere she struck a rough-hew'd stamp
Spoke something near the door
24
She listn'd strict it stamp't anew
And then began to cough
By this last sighn full well she knew
The lost man worn't far off
And then began to cough
By this last sighn full well she knew
The lost man worn't far off
Yet 'stead of joy as one would think
The blood boild in her veins
For still the ‘fishponds’ and the ‘drink’
Perplex'd her crazy brains
The blood boild in her veins
For still the ‘fishponds’ and the ‘drink’
Perplex'd her crazy brains
‘I'll warrant him I'll learn him how
‘To stop again thus late
‘And surely if he fronts me now
‘He'll get a broken pate’
‘To stop again thus late
‘And surely if he fronts me now
‘He'll get a broken pate’
Her muttering's stopt—the door went clench
He's com'd in sight almost
No sooner in but—‘well my wench
‘Didn't ya think me lost’
He's com'd in sight almost
No sooner in but—‘well my wench
‘Didn't ya think me lost’
So soft so greeting was the tone
So civil who could blame
Yet his old nasty forked joan
Could not return the same
So civil who could blame
Yet his old nasty forked joan
Could not return the same
‘Think ya lost not I indeed
‘There's no such luck as that
‘Would it where so I should be free'd
‘—But I must bear my lot’
‘There's no such luck as that
‘Would it where so I should be free'd
‘—But I must bear my lot’
He heard (besure) yet hadn't caught
To where they did refer
For poor old boy he little thought
How matters stood with her
To where they did refer
For poor old boy he little thought
How matters stood with her
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‘“Luck to be lost” ‘bless us’ thinks he
‘This must be something odd
‘And “bear my lot” what can it be?
‘That knocks agen her nodd’
‘This must be something odd
‘And “bear my lot” what can it be?
‘That knocks agen her nodd’
Thus thought he to himself why not
Yet still he was to seek
‘Luck to be lost’ and ‘bear my lot’
To him appeard as greek
Yet still he was to seek
‘Luck to be lost’ and ‘bear my lot’
To him appeard as greek
The case stood thus—(which soon will show
That cottering suke thought wrong)
T'was clipping time and then you know
A shepherds in full throng
That cottering suke thought wrong)
T'was clipping time and then you know
A shepherds in full throng
His own sheep left—for he was loth
To loose this lov'd employ
And as he could not do 'em both
He fors't to hire a boy
To loose this lov'd employ
And as he could not do 'em both
He fors't to hire a boy
But still he took a great delight
About his flock to con
And always whent that way at night
To see how they got on
About his flock to con
And always whent that way at night
To see how they got on
So as he whent his usual round
On this unlucky night
Suprising change when near the ground
No flock appear'd in sight
On this unlucky night
Suprising change when near the ground
No flock appear'd in sight
Vext to the quick he went away
Nor stood awhile to doubt
But quickly call'd to poor old trey
‘Boy we must find em out’
Nor stood awhile to doubt
But quickly call'd to poor old trey
‘Boy we must find em out’
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Oer hill and dale they went that night
Thro many a neighbouring ground
At last a shepherd set them right
And pointed to the pound
Thro many a neighbouring ground
At last a shepherd set them right
And pointed to the pound
At hearing this good story oer
Joy glow'd within his breast
His fears and doubts was then no more
All troubl'd thoughts had rest
Joy glow'd within his breast
His fears and doubts was then no more
All troubl'd thoughts had rest
The boy still lost—but this you see
Could not fresh griefs begin
For 'bout such idle rouge's as he
He never car'd a pin
Could not fresh griefs begin
For 'bout such idle rouge's as he
He never car'd a pin
And now the cause which made him late
Is plump and plainly shown
We'el turn the tale to Robins fate
And visit noisey joan
Is plump and plainly shown
We'el turn the tale to Robins fate
And visit noisey joan
Who murmur'd much and shook her head
But as a Fox more sly
He patiently heard all she said
And never made reply
But as a Fox more sly
He patiently heard all she said
And never made reply
T'was droll to see the old boy sit
His nose straight looking down
With broad brim'd hat turnd up to fitt
That scarce could boast a Crown
His nose straight looking down
With broad brim'd hat turnd up to fitt
That scarce could boast a Crown
He seemd a dad of ancient taste
In such a antique barge
With great coat belted round his waist
And buckles monstrous large
In such a antique barge
With great coat belted round his waist
And buckles monstrous large
But in describing coat and hat
We still loose sight of home
For in a ballad rightly pat
Digressions ne'er should come
We still loose sight of home
For in a ballad rightly pat
Digressions ne'er should come
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Therefore with these descriptive things
In future we'l be dumb
But turn where scolding musick rings
With never ceasing hum
In future we'l be dumb
But turn where scolding musick rings
With never ceasing hum
Suke when she did forsee with all
Her scolding to affright
That Bob who never spoke a't'all
Would gain the Vic'try quite
Her scolding to affright
That Bob who never spoke a't'all
Would gain the Vic'try quite
Turn'd to a more majestic tone
With railings not to seek
That might torment a very stone
Or urge the dumb to speak
With railings not to seek
That might torment a very stone
Or urge the dumb to speak
‘Ah! thou poor degected sight
‘Disgraceful quite to men
‘Do what I would to keep the[e] tight
‘My labour provd in vain’
‘Disgraceful quite to men
‘Do what I would to keep the[e] tight
‘My labour provd in vain’
‘But yah may mend yar rags ya sen
‘For Ive no more to do
‘And where ya have been go agen
‘With all yar trumpery too’
‘For Ive no more to do
‘And where ya have been go agen
‘With all yar trumpery too’
‘That coat I bought the rogue one fair
‘No other was so stout
‘Tis but nine year since I declare
‘And now its quite wore out’
‘No other was so stout
‘Tis but nine year since I declare
‘And now its quite wore out’
‘Its all in vain—hes such a stroy
‘Buy hose or what I will
‘Just like a young and ramping boy
‘Hes always wanting still’
‘Buy hose or what I will
‘Just like a young and ramping boy
‘Hes always wanting still’
‘Ah!—(and shook her head) thou ragged ruff
‘Thy conduct grieves me sore
‘But I'm determin'd thats enough
‘To rap and rend no more’
‘Thy conduct grieves me sore
‘But I'm determin'd thats enough
‘To rap and rend no more’
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Thus she whent on in railing wad
Which provd succesful too
For Robin grew so wonderous mad
He knew not what to do
Which provd succesful too
For Robin grew so wonderous mad
He knew not what to do
Wether to speak or still keep mute
He knew not which to try
But buying ‘coats’ would never suit
That forc'd him to reply
He knew not which to try
But buying ‘coats’ would never suit
That forc'd him to reply
‘Ya poor old silly prating fool
‘Ya make me call ya so
‘Whor I a boy that went to school
‘More power ya cou'dn't show’
‘Ya make me call ya so
‘Whor I a boy that went to school
‘More power ya cou'dn't show’
‘Thou buy me coats and this and that
‘Why thou'rt a funny duke
‘That love's to hear thy ownself chat
‘Who finds the Money suke?’
‘Why thou'rt a funny duke
‘That love's to hear thy ownself chat
‘Who finds the Money suke?’
‘There lies the point—is't ya or I?
‘Say that or else give oer
‘If ya'r the finder then beguy
‘I'll never work no more’
‘Say that or else give oer
‘If ya'r the finder then beguy
‘I'll never work no more’
This struck so deep—no more she said
But striving to get o'er
Wang went the platter at his head
The candle on the floor
But striving to get o'er
Wang went the platter at his head
The candle on the floor
One was to mark him if she could
The other was to blind
For sure she thought he never would
His way thro darkness find
The other was to blind
For sure she thought he never would
His way thro darkness find
But he deciev'd a second time
For nimbly as the lark
He did the old rough ladder climb
Nor car'd about the dark
For nimbly as the lark
He did the old rough ladder climb
Nor car'd about the dark
29
Soon as he gaind the wellknown spot
Where he had often lain
He triumph'd oer the vic'try got
And sung the ‘point’ again
Where he had often lain
He triumph'd oer the vic'try got
And sung the ‘point’ again
‘There judie where thy proud stiff joint
‘Of self conceit gave way
‘And still I say the “points” the “point”
‘And money rules the day’
‘Of self conceit gave way
‘And still I say the “points” the “point”
‘And money rules the day’
‘Think as ya will suke I dont care
‘But I'm determind quite
‘After ya'r good behaviour there
‘To be ya'r match this night’
‘But I'm determind quite
‘After ya'r good behaviour there
‘To be ya'r match this night’
‘I am not drunk if so I think
‘It very strange must be
‘But as for talking 'bout the drink
‘That matters not to thee’
‘It very strange must be
‘But as for talking 'bout the drink
‘That matters not to thee’
‘If I like to get drunk I will
‘For all such fools as suke
‘I said so once and own it still
‘That ya'r a funny duke’
‘For all such fools as suke
‘I said so once and own it still
‘That ya'r a funny duke’
‘The “points” the “point” ah! thats the song
‘I love so dear to play
‘Old suke shall hear it all night long
‘While morning brings the day’
‘I love so dear to play
‘Old suke shall hear it all night long
‘While morning brings the day’
Theres mighty words in triumph led
All overpowering quite
Muse bind thy laurels round his head
As Victor in the fight
All overpowering quite
Muse bind thy laurels round his head
As Victor in the fight
| The early poems of John Clare | |