The Peter-bird Poem Rhyme Scheme

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Out of the woods by the creek cometh a calling for Peter	A
And from the orchard a voice echoes and echoes it over	A
Down in the pasture the sheep hear that strange crying for Peter	A
Over the meadows that call is aye and forever repeated	B
So let me tell you the tale when where and how it all happened	C
And when the story is told let us pay heed to the lesson	D
	-
Once on a time long ago lived in the State of Kentucky	E
One that was reckoned a witch full of strange spells and devices	F
Nightly she wandered the woods searching for charms voodooistic	E
Scorpions lizards and herbs dormice chameleons and plantains	G
Serpents and caw caws and bats screech owls and crickets and adders	G
These were the guides of that witch through the dank deeps of the forest	H
Then with her roots and her herbs back to her cave in the morning	E
Ambled that hussy to brew spells of unspeakable evil	I
And when the people awoke seeing that hillside and valley	E
Sweltered in swathes as of mist Look they would whisper in terror	A
Look the old witch is at work brewing her spells of great evil	I
Then would they pray till the sun darting his rays through the vapor	A
Lifted the smoke from the earth and baffled the witch's intentions	G
	-
One of the boys at that time was a certain young person named Peter	A
Given too little to work given too largely to dreaming	E
Fonder of books than of chores you can imagine that Peter	A
Led a sad life on the farm causing his parents much trouble	I
Peter his mother would call the cream is a'ready for churning	E
Peter his father would cry go grub at the weeds in the garden	D
So it was Peter all day calling reminding and chiding	E
Peter neglected his work therefore that nagging at Peter	A
	-
Peter got hold of some books how I'm unable to tell you	J
Some have suspected the witch this is no place for suspicions	G
It is sufficient to stick close to the thread of the legend	C
Nor is it stated or guessed what was the trend of those volumes	G
What thing soever it was done with a pen and a pencil	I
Wrought with a brain not a hoe surely 't was hostile to farming	E
	-
Fudge on all readin' they quoth or that's what's the ruin of	K
Peter	A
	-
So when the mornings were hot under the beech or the maple	I
Cushioned in grass that was blue breathing the breath of the blossoms	G
Lulled by the hum of the bees the coo of the ring doves a mating	E
Peter would frivol his time at reading or lazing or dreaming	E
Peter his mother would call the cream is a'ready for churning	E
Peter his father would cry go grub at the weeds in the garden	D
Peter and Peter all day calling reminding and chiding	E
Peter neglected his chores therefore that outcry for Peter	A
Therefore the neighbors allowed evil would surely befall him	L
Yes on account of these things ruin would come upon Peter	A
	-
Surely enough on a time reading and lazing and dreaming	E
Wrought the calamitous ill all had predicted for Peter	A
For of a morning in spring when lay the mist in the valleys	G
See quoth the folk how the witch breweth her evil decoctions	G
See how the smoke from her fire broodeth on woodland and meadow	M
Grant that the sun cometh out to smother the smudge of her caldron	D
She hath been forth in the night full of her spells and devices	G
Roaming the marshes and dells for heathenish magical nostrums	G
Digging in leaves and at stumps for centipedes pismires and spiders	G
Grubbing in poisonous pools for hot salamanders and toadstools	G
Charming the bats from the flues snaring the lizards by twilight	N
Sucking the scorpion's egg and milking the breast of the adder	A
	-
Peter derided these things held in such faith by the farmer	A
Scouted at magic and charms hooted at Jonahs and hoodoos	G
Thinking and reading of books must have unsettled his reason	D
There ain't no witches he cried it isn't smoky but foggy	E
I will go out in the wet you all can't hender me nuther	A
	-
Surely enough he went out into the damp of the morning	E
Into the smudge that the witch spread over woodland and meadow	M
Into the fleecy gray pall brooding on hillside and valley	E
Laughing and scoffing he strode into that hideous vapor	A
Just as he said he would do just as he bantered and threatened	C
Ere they could fasten the door Peter had done gone and done it	O
Wasting his time over books you see had unsettled his reason	D
Soddened his callow young brain with semi pubescent paresis	G
And his neglect of his chores hastened this evil condition	D
	-
Out of the woods by the creek cometh a calling for Peter	A
And from the orchard a voice echoes and echoes it over	A
Down in the pasture the sheep hear that shrill crying for Peter	A
Up from the spring house the wail stealeth anon like a whisper	A
Over the meadows that call is aye and forever repeated	B
Such were the voices that whooped wildly and vainly for Peter	A
Decades and decades ago down in the State of Kentucky	E
Such are the voices that cry now from the woodland and meadow	M
Peter O Peter all day calling reminding and chiding	E
Taking us back to the time when Peter he done gone and done it	O
These are the voices of those left by the boy in the farmhouse	G
When with his laughter and scorn hatless and bootless and sockless	G
Clothed in his jeans and his pride Peter sailed out in the weather	A
Broke from the warmth of his home into that fog of the devil	I
Into the smoke of that witch brewing her damnable porridge	P
	-
Lo when he vanished from sight knowing the evil that threatened	C
Forth with importunate cries hastened his father and mother	A
Peter they shrieked in alarm Peter and evermore Peter	A
Ran from the house to the barn ran from the barn to the garden	D
Ran to the corn crib anon then to the smoke house proceeded	Q
Henhouse and woodpile they passed calling and wailing and weeping	E
Through the front gate to the road braving the hideous vapor	A
Sought him in lane and on pike called him in orchard and meadow	M
Clamoring Peter in vain vainly outcrying for Peter	A
Joining the search came the rest brothers and sisters and cousins	G
Venting unspeakable fears in pitiful wailing for Peter	A
And from the neighboring farms gathered the men and the women	D
Who upon hearing the news swelled the loud chorus for Peter	A
	-
Farmers and hussifs and maids bosses and field hands and niggers	G
Colonels and jedges galore from cornfields and mint beds and thickets	G
All that had voices to voice all to those parts appertaining	E
Came to engage in the search gathered and bellowed for Peter	A
The Taylors the Dorseys the Browns the Wallers the Mitchells the	R
Logans	G
The Yenowines Crittendens Dukes the Hickmans the Hobbses the Morgans	G
The Ormsbys the Thompsons the Hikes the Williamsons Murrays and	C
Hardins	G
	-
The Beynroths the Sherleys the Hokes the Haldermans Harneys and	C
Slaughters	G
All famed in Kentucky of old for prowess prodigious at farming	E
Now surged from their prosperous homes to join in that hunt for the	R
truant	S
To ascertain where he was at to help out the chorus for Peter	A
	-
Still on those prosperous farms where heirs and assigns of the people	I
Specified hereinabove and proved by the records of probate	T
Still on those farms shall you hear and still on the turnpikes	G
adjacent	S
That pitiful petulant call that pleading expostulant wailing	E
That hopeless monotonous moan that crooning and droning for Peter	A
Some say the witch in her wrath transmogrified all those good people	I
That wakened from slumber that day by the calling and bawling for Peter	A
She out of her cave in a thrice and waving the foot of a rabbit	U
Crossed with the caul of a coon and smeared with the blood of a chicken	D
She changed all those folk into birds and shrieked with demoniac venom	V
Fly away over the land moaning your Peter forever	A
Croaking of Peter the boy who didn't believe there were hoodoos	G
Crooning of Peter the fool who scouted at stories of witches	G
Crying of Peter for aye forever outcalling for Peter	A
	-
This is the story they tell so in good sooth saith the legend	C
As I have told it to you so tell the folk and the legend	C
That it is true I believe for on the breezes this morning	E
Come the shrill voices of birds calling and calling for Peter	A
Out of the maple and beech glitter the eyes of the wailers	G
Peeping and peering for him who formerly lived in these places	G
Peter the heretic lad lazy and careless and dreaming	E
Sorely afflicted with books and with pubescent paresis	G
Hating the things of the farm care of the barn and the garden	D
Always neglecting his chores given to books and to reading	E
Which as all people allow turn the young person to mischief	W
Harden his heart against toil wean his affections from tillage	P
	-
This is the legend of yore told in the state of Kentucky	E
When in the springtime the birds call from the beeches and maples	G
Call from the petulant thorn call from the acrid persimmon	D
When from the woods by the creek and from the pastures and meadows	G
When from the spring house and lane and from the mint bed and orchard	X
When from the redbud and gum and from the redolent lilac	E
When from the dirt roads and pikes cometh that calling for Peter	A
Cometh the dolorous cry cometh that weird iteration	D
Of Peter and Peter for aye of Peter and Peter forever	A
This is the legend of old told in the tum titty meter	A
Which the great poets prefer being less labor than rhyming	E
My first attempt at the same my last attempt too I reckon	D
Nor have I further to say for the sad story is ended	Q

Eugene Field

The Peter-bird Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

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