The Shepherd's Calendar - August Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCAADDEFGHIIJJKK LLMMNNDDOPAAQQRRSSTS RRUUVVRRWWXXVVVVYYAA ZZA2A2RRXXB2B2VVYYVV A2A2C2D2KKE2F2G2G2G2 H2MMI2I2NNVVNN RRJ2J2RRG2G2K2K2G2G2 VVNNG2G2NNL2L2VVNNAA VVNN VVNNG2G2M2RN2N2J2J2V VNNRRO2P2A2A2NNQ2Q2V VG2G2G2G2VVMMVVR2R2J 2J2S2I2 G2G2NNVVQ2V

Harvest approaches with its bustling dayA
The wheat tans brown and barley bleaches greyA
In yellow garb the oat land intervenesB
And tawney glooms the valley thronged with beansB
Silent the village grows wood wandering dreamsC
Seem not so lovely as its quiet seemsC
Doors are shut up as on a winters dayA
And not a child about them lies at playA
The dust that winnows neath the breezes feetD
Is all that stirs about the silent streetD
Fancy might think that desert spreading fearE
Had whisperd terrors into quiets earF
Or plundering armys past the place had comeG
And drove the lost inhabitants from homeH
The fields now claim them where a motley crewI
Of old and young their daily tasks pursueI
The barleys beard is grey and wheat is brownJ
And wakens toil betimes to leave the townJ
The reapers leave their beds before the sunK
And gleaners follow when home toils are doneK
To pick the littered ear the reaper leavesL
And glean in open fields among the sheavesL
The ruddy child nursed in the lap of careM
In toils rude ways to do its little shareM
Beside its mother poddles oer the landN
Sun burnt and stooping with a weary handN
Picking its tiney glean of corn or wheatD
While crackling stubbles wound its legs and feetD
Full glad it often is to sit awhileO
Upon a smooth green baulk to ease its toilP
And feign would spend an idle hour to playA
With insects strangers to the moiling dayA
Creeping about each rush and grassy stemQ
And often wishes it was one of themQ
In weariness of heart that it might lyeR
Hid in the grass from the days burning eyeR
That raises tender blisters on his skinS
Thro holes or openings that have lost a pinS
Free from the crackling stubs to toil and gleanT
And smiles to think how happy it had beenS
Whilst its expecting mother stops to tyeR
Her handful up and waiting his supplyR
Misses the resting younker from her sideU
And shouts of rods and morts of threats besideU
Pointing to the grey willows while she tellsV
His fears shall fetch one if he still rebellsV
Picturing harsh truths in its unpracticed eyeR
How they who idle in the harvest lyeR
Shall well deserving in the winter pineW
Or hunt the hedges with the birds and swineW
In vain he wishes that the rushes heightX
Were tall as trees to hide him from her sightX
Leaving his pleasant seat he sighs and rubsV
His legs and shows scratchd wounds from piercing stubsV
To make excuse for play but she disdainsV
His little wounds and smiles while he complainsV
And as he stoops adown in troubles soreY
She sees his grief and bids him sob no moreY
As bye and bye on the next sabbath dayA
She'll give him well earned pence as well as playA
When he may buy almost with out a stintZ
Sweet candied horehound cakes and pepper mintZ
Or streaking sticks of lusious lolipopA2
What ere he chuses from the tempting shopA2
Wi in whose diamond winder shining lyeR
Things of all sorts to tempt his eager eyeR
Rich sugar plumbs in phials shining brightX
In every hue young fancys to delightX
Coaches and ladys of gilt ginger breadB2
And downy plumbs and apples streaked with redB2
Such promises all sorrows soon displaceV
And smiles are instant kindled in his faceV
Scorning all troubles which he felt beforeY
He picks the trailing ears and mourns no moreY
The fields are all alive with busy noiseV
Of labours sounds and insects humming joysV
Some oer the glittering sickle sweating stoopA2
Startling full oft the partridge coveys upA2
Some oer the rustling scythe go bending onC2
And shockers follow where their toils have goneD2
First turning swaths to wither in the sunK
Where mice from terrors dangers nimbly runK
Leaving their tender young in fears alarmE2
Lapt up in nests of chimbled grasses warmF2
And oft themselves for safty search in vainG2
From the rude boy or churlish hearted swainG2
Who beat their stone chinkd forks about the grounG2
And spread an instant murder all aroundH2
Tho oft the anxious maidens tender prayerM
Urges the clown their little lives to spareM
Who sighs while trailing the long rake alongI2
At scenes so cruel and forgets her songI2
And stays wi love his murder aiming handN
Some ted the puffing winnow down the landN
And others following roll them up in heapsV
While cleanly as a barn door beesome sweepsV
The hawling drag wi gathering weeds entwindN
And singing rakers end the toils behindN
-
When the sun stoops to meet the western skyR
And noons hot hours have wanderd weary byeR
They seek an awthorn bush or willow treeJ2
Or stouk or shock where coolest shadows beJ2
Where baskets heapd and unbroachd bottles lyeR
Which dogs in absence watchd with wary eyeR
To catch their breath awhile and share the boonG2
Which beavering time alows their toil at noonG2
All gathering sit on stubbs or sheaves the hourK2
Where scarlet poppys linger still in flowerK2
Stript in his shirt the hot swain drops adownG2
And close beside him in her unpind gownG2
Next to her favoured swain the maiden stealsV
Blushing at kindness which her love revealsV
Who makes a seat for her of things aroundN
And drops beside her on the naked groundN
Wearied wi brambles catching at her gownG2
And pulling nutts from branches pulld adownG2
By friendly swain the maid Wi heaving breastN
Upon her lovers shoulder leans at restN
Then from its cool retreat the beer they bringL2
And hand the stout hooped bottle round the ringL2
Each swain soaks hard the maiden ere she sipsV
Shrieks at the bold whasp settling on her lipsV
That seems determined only hers to greetN
As if it fancied they were cherrys sweetN
So dog forgoes his sleep awhile or playA
Springing at frogs that rustling jump awayA
To watch each morsel that the boon bestowsV
And wait the bone or crumb the shepherd throwsV
For shepherds are no more of ease possestN
But share the harvests labours with the restN
-
When day declines and labour meets reposeV
The bawling boy his evening journey goesV
At toils unwearied call the first and lastN
He drives his horses to their nights repastN
In dewey close or meadow to sojournG2
And often ventures on his still returnG2
Oer garden pales or orchard walls to hieM2
When sleeps safe key hath locked up dangers eyeR
All but the mastiff watching in the darkN2
Who snufts and knows him and forbears to barkN2
With fearful haste he climbs each loaded treeJ2
And picks for prizes which the ripest beJ2
Pears plumbs or filberts covered oer in leamsV
While the pale moon creeps high in peaceful dreamsV
And oer his harvest theft in jealous lightN
Fills empty shadows with the power to frightN
And owlet screaming as it bounces nighR
That from some barn hole pops and hurries byeR
Scard at the cat upon her nightly watchO2
For rats that come for dew upon the thatchP2
He hears the noise and trembling to escapeA2
While every object grows a dismal shapeA2
Drops from the tree in fancys swiftest dreadN
By ghosts pursued and scampers home to bedN
Quick tumbling oer the mossy mouldering wallQ2
And looses half his booty in the fallQ2
Where soon as ere the morning opes its eyesV
The restless hogs will happen on the prizeV
And crump adown the mellow and the greenG2
And makes all seem as nothing ne'er had beenG2
Amid the broils of harvests weary reignG2
How sweet the sabbath wakes its rest againG2
For each weary mind what rapture dwellsV
To hear once more its pleasant chiming bellsV
That from each steeple peeping here and thereM
Murmur a soothing lullaby to careM
The shepherd journying on his morning roundsV
Pauses awhile to hear their pleasing soundsV
While the glad childern free from toils employR2
Mimic the ding dong sounds and laugh for joyR2
The fields themselves seem happy to be freeJ2
Where insects chatter with unusual gleeJ2
While solitude the stubbs and grass amongS2
Apears to muse and listen to the songI2
-
In quiet peace awakes the welcomed mornG2
Men tired and childern with their gleaning wornG2
Weary and stiff lye round their doors the dayN
To rest themselves with little heart for playN
No more keck horns in homestead close resoundsV
As in their school boy days at hare and houndsV
Nor running oer the street from wall to wallQ2
With eager shoutsV

John Clare



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