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

Rhyme Scheme: AABCDDEEFFGGHHIIJJJJ KK EEKKLLJJMMNNJJOOEELL EEPPQQEEEERREENNSSTT UUGGEE EESSVVWWEENNGGEEKKXX YYZZA2N B2B2PPC2D2E2E2F2F2NN FFLLIIG2G2YYNNPH2 I2J2UK2EENNL2M2 N2N2ZZEEEE EEO2O2P2YJ2J2Q2Q2TTR 2R2EETTJ2J2FFEES2S2P H2EEQ2Q2EER2R2T2T2

Harvest awakes the morning stillA
And toils rude groups the valleys fillA
Deserted is each cottage hearthB
To all life save the crickets mirthC
Each burring wheel their sabbath meetsD
Nor walks a gossip in the streetsD
The bench beneath its eldern boughE
Lined oer with grass is empty nowE
Where blackbirds caged from out the sunF
Could whistle while their mistress spunF
All haunt the thronged fields still to shareG
The harvests lingering bounty thereG
As yet no meddling boys resortH
About the streets in idle sportH
The butterflye enjoys his hourI
And flirts unchaced from flower to flowerI
And humming bees that morning callsJ
From out the low huts mortar wallsJ
Which passing boy no more controulsJ
Flye undisturbed about their holesJ
And sparrows in glad chirpings meetK
Unpelted in the quiet streetK
-
None but imprison'd childern nowE
Are seen where dames with angry browE
Threaten each younker to his seatK
That thro' the school door eyes the streetK
Or from his horn book turns awayL
To mourn for liberty and playL
Loud are the mornings early soundsJ
That farm and cottage yard surroundsJ
The creaking noise of opening gateM
And clanking pumps where boys awaitM
With idle motion to supplyN
The thirst of cattle crowding byeN
The low of cows and bark of dogsJ
And cackling hens and wineing hogsJ
Swell high while at the noise awokeO
Old goody seeks her milking cloakO
And hastens out to milk the cowE
And fill the troughs to feed the sowE
Or seeking old hens laid astrayL
Or from young chickens drives awayL
The circling kite that round them flyesE
Waiting the chance to seize the prizeE
Hogs trye thro gates the street to gainP
And steal into the fields of grainP
From nights dull prison comes the duckQ
Waddling eager thro the muckQ
Squeezing thro the orchard palesE
Where mornings bounty rarely failsE
Eager gobbling as they passE
Dew worms thro the padded grassE
Where blushing apples round and redR
Load down the boughs and pat the headR
Of longing maid that hither goesE
To hang on lines the drying cloathsE
Who views them oft with tempted eyeN
And steals one as she passes byeN
Where the holly oak so tallS
Far oer tops the garden wallS
That latest blooms for bees provideT
Hived on stone benches close besideT
The bees their teazing music humU
And threaten war to all that comeU
Save the old dame whose jealous careG
Places a trapping bottle thereG
Filled with mock sweets in whose disguiseE
The honey loving hornet diesE
-
Upon the dovecoats mossy slatesE
The piegons coo around their matesE
Where morns sunbeams early fallS
By the barn or stable wallS
Basking hens in playfull routV
Flap the smoaking dust aboutV
In the barn hole sits the catW
Watching within the thirsty ratW
Who oft at morn its dwelling leavesE
To drink the moisture from the evesE
The redbreast with his nimble eyeN
Dare scarcely stop to catch the flyeN
That tangled in the spiders snareG
Mourns in vain for freedom thereG
The dog beside the threshold lyesE
Mocking sleep with half shut eyesE
With head crouched down upon his feetK
Till strangers pass his sunny seatK
Then quick he pricks his ears to harkX
And bustles up to growl and barkX
While boys in fear stop short their songY
And sneak on hurrys fears alongY
And beggar creeping like a snailZ
To make his hungry hopes prevailZ
Oer the warm heart of charityA2
Leaves his lame halt and hastens byeN
-
The maid afield now leaves the farmB2
With brimming bottles on her armB2
Loitering unseen in narrow laneP
To be oertook by following swainP
Who happy thus her truth to proveC2
Carrys the load and talks of loveD2
Full soon the harvest waggons soundE2
Rumbling like thunder all aroundE2
In ceasless speed the corn to loadF2
Hurrying down the dusty roadF2
While driving boy with eager eyeN
Watches the church clock passing byeN
Whose gilt hands glitter in the sunF
To see how far the hours have runF
Right happly in the breathless dayL
To see it wearing fast awayL
Yet now and then a sudden showerI
Will bring to toil a resting hourI
When under sheltering shocks a crowdG2
Of merry voices mingle loudG2
Wearing the short lived boon alongY
With vulgar tale and merry songY
Draining with leisures laughing eyeN
Each welcome bubbling bottle dryeN
Till peeping suns dry up the rainP
Then off they start to toil againH2
-
Anon the fields are wearing clearI2
And glad sounds hum in labours earJ2
When childern halo 'here they comeU
And run to meet the harvest homeK2
Stuck thick with boughs and thronged with boysE
Who mingle loud a merry noiseE
Glad that the harvests end is nighN
And weary labour nearly byeN
Where when they meet the stack thronged yardL2
Cross bunns or pence their shouts rewardM2
-
Then comes the harvest supper nightN2
Which rustics welcome with delightN2
When merry game and tiresome taleZ
And songs increasing with the aleZ
Their mingled uproar interposeE
To crown the harvests happy closeE
While rural mirth that there abidesE
Laughs till she almost cracks her sidesE
-
Now harvests busy hum declinesE
And labour half its help resignsE
Boys glad at heart to play returnO2
The shepherds to their peace sojournO2
Rush bosomed solitudes amongP2
Which busy toil disturbed so longY
The gossip happy all is oerJ2
Visits again her neighbours doorJ2
For scandals idle tales to dwellQ2
Which harvest had no time to tellQ2
And on each bench at even tideT
Which trailing vine leaves nearly hideT
And free from all its sultry strifeR2
Enjoy once more their idle lifeR2
A few whom waning toil reprievesE
Thread the forests sea of leavesE
Where the pheasant loves to hideT
And the darkest glooms abideT
Beneath the old oaks mossd and greyJ2
Whose shadows seem as old as theyJ2
Where time hath many seasons wonF
Since aught beneath them saw the sunF
Within these brambly solitudesE
The ragged noisy boy intrudesE
To gather nuts that ripe and brownS2
As soon as shook will patter downS2
Thus harvest ends its busy reignP
And leaves the fields their peace againH2
Where autumns shadows idly museE
And tinge the trees with many huesE
Amid whose scenes I'm feign to dwellQ2
And sing of what I love so wellQ2
But hollow winds and tumbling floodsE
And humming showers and moaning woodsE
All startle into sudden strifeR2
And wake a mighty lay to lifeR2
Making amid their strains divineT2
All songs in vain so mean as mineT2

John Clare



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