The Shepherds Calendar - February - A Thaw Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABACDEDE FGHGIEIE JKGKELEL MNMNEOEO PQPQ BRBR ELELLSLS TUVUWXWX YZA2ZININ GFGHB2C2B2X XEXED2E2D2E2 UGF2GGG2GH2 XIXI I2H2I2H2 H2XH2XH2EH2E IJ2IJ2K2LK2L J2HJ2FOL2OL2 H2J2H2J2HM2FM2 H2J2H2L2N2J2N2J2 H2J2H2J2L2L2L2L2 O2HO2F H2P2H2P2 L2HL2FQ2L2Q2L2

The snow is gone from cottage topsA
The thatch moss glows in brighter greenB
And eves in quick succession dropsA
Where grinning ides once hath beenC
Pit patting Wi a pleasant noiseD
In tubs set by the cottage doorE
And ducks and geese wi happy joysD
Douse in the yard pond brimming oerE
-
The sun peeps thro the window paneF
Which childern mark wi laughing eyeG
And in the wet street steal againH
To tell each other spring is nighG
And as young hope the past recallsI
In playing groups will often drawE
Building beside the sunny wallsI
Their spring play huts of sticks or strawE
-
And oft in pleasures dreams they hieJ
Round homsteads by the village sideK
Scratting the hedgrow mosses byeG
Where painted pooty shells abideK
Mistaking oft the ivy sprayE
For leaves that come wi budding springL
And wondering in their search for playE
Why birds delay to build and singL
-
The milkmaid singing leaves her bedM
As glad as happy thoughts can beN
While magpies chatter oer her headM
As jocund in the change as sheN
Her cows around the closes strayE
Nor lingering wait the foddering boyO
Tossing the molehills in their playE
And staring round in frolic joyO
-
Ploughmen go whistling to their toilsP
And yoke again the rested ploughQ
And mingling oer the mellow soilsP
Boys' shouts and whips are noising nowQ
-
The shepherd now is often seenB
By warm banks oer his work to bendR
Or oer a gate or stile to leanB
Chattering to a passing friendR
-
Odd hive bees fancying winter oerE
And dreaming in their combs of springL
Creeps on the slab beside their doorE
And strokes its legs upon its wingL
While wild ones half asleep are hummingL
Round snowdrop bells a feeble noteS
And pigions coo of summer comingL
Picking their feathers on the coteS
-
The barking dogs by lane and woodT
Drive sheep afield from foddering groundU
And eccho in her summer moodV
Briskly mocks the cheery soundU
The flocks as from a prison brokeW
Shake their wet fleeces in the sunX
While following fast a misty smokeW
Reeks from the moist grass as they runX
-
Nor more behind his masters heelsY
The dog creeps oer his winter paceZ
But cocks his tail and oer the fieldsA2
Runs many a wild and random chaseZ
Following in spite of chiding callsI
The startld cat wi harmless gleeN
Scaring her up the weed green wallsI
Or mossy mottld apple treeN
-
As crows from morning perches flyeG
He barks and follows them in vainF
Een larks will catch his nimble eyeG
And off he starts and barks againH
Wi breathless haste and blinded guessB2
Oft following where the hare hath goneC2
Forgetting in his joys excessB2
His frolic puppy days are doneX
-
The gossips saunter in the sunX
As at the spring from door to doorE
Of matters in the village doneX
And secret newsings mutterd oerE
Young girls when they each other meetD2
Will stand their tales of love to tellE2
While going on errands down the streetD2
Or fetching water from the wellE2
-
A calm of pleasure listens roundU
And almost whispers winter byeG
While fancy dreams of summer soundsF2
And quiet rapture fills the eyeG
The sun beams on the hedges lyeG
The south wind murmurs summer softG2
And maids hang out white cloaths to dryG
Around the eldern skirted croftH2
-
Each barns green thatch reeks in the sunX
Its mate the happy sparrow callsI
And as nest building spring begunX
Peeps in the holes about the wallsI
-
The wren a sunny side the stackI2
Wi short tail ever on the struntH2
Cockd gadding up above his backI2
Again for dancing gnats will huntH2
-
The gladdend swine bolt from the styH2
And round the yard in freedom runX
Or stretching in their slumbers lyeH2
Beside the cottage in the sunX
The young horse whinneys to its mateH2
And sickens from the threshers doorE
Rubbing the straw yards banded gateH2
Longing for freedom on the moorE
-
Hens leave their roosts wi cackling callsI
To see the barn door free from snowJ2
And cocks flye up the mossy wallsI
To clap their spangld wings and crowJ2
About the steeples sunny topK2
The jackdaw flocks resemble springL
And in the stone archd windows popK2
Wi summer noise and wanton wingL
-
The small birds think their wants are oerJ2
To see the snow hills fret againH
And from the barns chaff litterd doorJ2
Betake them to the greening plainF
The woodmans robin startles coyO
Nor longer at his elbow comesL2
To peck wi hungers eager joyO
Mong mossy stulps the litterd crumbsL2
-
Neath hedge and walls that screen the windH2
The gnats for play will Hock togetherJ2
And een poor flyes odd hopes will findH2
To venture in the mocking weatherJ2
From out their hiding holes againH
Wi feeble pace they often creepM2
Along the sun warmd window paneF
Like dreaming things that walk in sleepM2
-
The mavis thrush wi wild delightH2
Upon the orchards dripping treeJ2
Mutters to see the day so brightH2
Spring scraps of young hopes poesyL2
And oft dame stops her burring wheelN2
To hear the robins note once moreJ2
That tutles while he pecks his mealN2
From sweet briar hips beside the doorJ2
-
The hedghog from its hollow rootH2
Sees the wood moss clear of snowJ2
And hunts each hedge for fallen fruitH2
Crab hip and winter bitten sloeJ2
And oft when checkd by sudden fearsL2
As shepherd dog his haunt espiesL2
He rolls up in a ball of spearsL2
And all his barking rage defiesL2
-
Thus nature of the spring will dreamO2
While south winds thaw but soon againH
Frost breaths upon the stiffening streamO2
And numbs it into ice the plainF
-
Soon wears its merry garb of whiteH2
And icicles that fret at noonP2
Will eke their icy tails at nightH2
Beneath the chilly stars and moonP2
-
Nature soon sickens of her joysL2
And all is sad and dumb againH
Save merry shouts of sliding boysL2
About the frozen furrowd plainF
The foddering boy forgets his songQ2
And silent goes wi folded armsL2
And croodling shepherds bend alongQ2
Crouching to the whizzing stormsL2

John Clare



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