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

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCDEEFFGEEEEEHHBB IIJJKKLLLLAADCMMEENN OOPPQQLLLLBBLLEELLFF BBKKJJRSPPBBFFOOLLLL LLDDEELLLLTTDCUUVVWW XXEEEWWYYLLBBZZ

Nature now spreads around in dreary hueA
A pall to cover all that summer knewA
Yet in the poets solitary wayB
Some pleasing objects for his praise delayB
Somthing that makes him pause and turn againC
As every trifle will his eye detainD
The free horse rustling through the stubble landE
And bawling herd boy with his motly bandE
Of hogs and sheep and cows who feed their fillF
Oer cleard fields rambling where so ere they willF
The geese flock gabbling in the splashy fieldsG
And quaking ducks in pondweeds half consealdE
Or seeking worms along the homclose swardE
Right glad of freedom from the prison yardE
While every cart rut dribbles its low tideE
And every hollow splashing sports provideE
The hedger stopping gaps wi pointed boughH
Made by intruding horse and blundering cowH
The milk maid tripping on her morning wayB
And fodderers oft tho early cutting hayB
Dropping the littering forkfulls from his backI
Side where the thorn fence circles round the stackI
The cotter journying wi his noisev swineJ
Along the wood side where the brambles twineJ
Shaking from dinted cups the acorns brownK
And from the hedges red awes dashing downK
And nutters rustling in the yellow woodsL
Scaring from their snug lairs the pheasant broodsL
And squirrels secret toils oer winter dreamsL
Picking the brown nuts from the yellow beamsL
And hunters from the thickets avenueA
In scarlet jackets startling on the viewA
Skiming a moment oer the russet plainD
Then hiding in the colord woods againC
The ploping guns sharp momentary shockM
Which eccho bustles from her cave to mockM
The sticking groups in many a ragged setE
Brushing the woods their harmless loads to getE
And gipseys camps in some snug shelterd nookN
Where old lane hedges like the pasture brookN
Run crooking as they will by wood and dellO
In such lone spots these wild wood roamers dwellO
On commons where no farmers claims appearP
Nor tyrant justice rides to interfereP
Such the abodes neath hedge or spreading oakQ
And but discovered by its curling smoakQ
Puffing and peeping up as wills the breezeL
Between the branches of the colord treesL
Such are the pictures that october yieldsL
To please the poet as he walks the fieldsL
Oft dames in faded cloak of red or greyB
Loiters along the mornings dripping wayB
Wi wicker basket on their witherd armsL
Searching the hedges of home close or farmsL
Where brashy elder trees to autum fadeE
Each cotters mossy hut and garden shadeE
Whose glossy berrys picturesquly weavesL
Their swathy bunches mid the yellow leavesL
Where the pert sparrow stains his little billF
And tutling robin picks his meals at willF
Black ripening to the wan suns misty rayB
Here the industrious huswives wend their wayB
Pulling the brittle branches carefull downK
And hawking loads of berrys to the townK
Wi unpretending skill yet half divineJ
To press and make their eldern berry wineJ
That bottld up becomes a rousing charmR
To kindle winters icy bosom warmS
That wi its merry partner nut brown beerP
Makes up the peasants christmass keeping cheerP
While nature like fair woman in decayB
Which pale consumption hourly wastes awayB
Upon her waining features pale and chillF
Wears dreams of beauty that seem lovely stillF
Among the heath furze still delights to dwellO
Quaking as if with cold the harvest bellO
The mushroom buttons each moist morning bringsL
Like spots of snow in the green tawney ringsL
And fuzz balls swelld like bladders in the grassL
Which oft the merry laughing milking lassL
Will stoop to gather in her sportive airsL
And slive in mimickd fondness unawaresL
To smut the brown cheek of the teazing swainD
Wi the black powder which their balls containD
Who feigns offence at first that love may speedE
Then charms a kiss to recompence the deedE
The flying clouds urged on in swiftest paceL
Like living things as if they runned a raceL
The winds that oer each coming tempest broodsL
Waking like spirits in their startling moodsL
Fluttering the sear leaves on the blasting leaT
That litters under every fading treeT
And pausing oft as falls the pattering rainD
Then gathering strength and twirling them againC
The startld stockdove hurried wizzing byeU
As the still hawk hangs oer him in the skyU
Crows from the oak trees qawking as they springV
Dashing the acorns down wi beating wingV
Waking the woodlands sleep in noises lowW
Pattring on crimpt brakes withering brown belowW
While from their hollow nest the squirrels popX
Adown the tree to pick them as they dropX
The starnel crowds that dim the muddy lightE
The crows and jackdaws flapping home at nightE
And puddock circling round its lazy flightE
Round the wild sweeing wood in motion slowW
Before it perches on the oaks belowW
And hugh black beetles revelling aloneY
In the dull evening with their heavy droneY
Buzzing from barn door straw and hovel sidesL
Where fodderd cattle from the night abidesL
These pictures linger thro the shortning dayB
And cheer the lone bards mellancholy wayB
And now and then a solitary boyZ
Journeying and muttering oer his dreams of joyZ

John Clare



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