The Shepherds Calendar - January- Winters Day Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCCDDEEFFGHCCIICCCC FFJJKKLLKKMMKKNNGHCC CCOOKKCCKKCCPPQQKKKK RRSSTTKKHGUURRKKCCVW XXCCSSKKMMKKSSHGSSCC CCKKNRCCKKKKKKTTYYKK CCKKSSKKKKCCYYZZA2A2 NNLLHGSSSSKKGGKKKKSS LLCCCCRGKKKKSSB2B2CC LLGGSSIC2D2D2CKCCGGS SSE2SSSSGGSSSSF2G2SS KKSSSSSSCCKKCCSSKK

Withering and keen the winter comesA
While comfort flyes to close shut roomsB
And sees the snow in feathers passC
Winnowing by the window glassC
And unfelt tempests howl and beatD
Above his head in corner seatD
And musing oer the changing sceneE
Farmers behind the tavern screenE
Sit or wi elbow idly prestF
On hob reclines the corners guestF
Reading the news to mark againG
The bankrupt lists or price of grainH
Or old moores anual prophecysC
That many a theme for talk supplysC
Whose almanacks thumbd pages swarmI
Wi frost and snow and many a stormI
And wisdom gossipd from the starsC
Of polities and bloody warsC
He shakes his head and still proceedsC
Neer doubting once of what he readsC
All wonders are wi faith supplydF
Bible at once and weather guideF
Puffing the while his red tipt pipeJ
Dreaming oer troubles nearly ripeJ
Yet not quite lost in profits wayK
He'll turn to next years harvest dayK
And winters leisure to regaleL
Hopes better times and sips his aleL
While labour still pursues his wayK
And braves the tempest as he mayK
The thresher first thro darkness deepM
Awakes the mornings winter sleepM
Scaring the owlet from her preyK
Long before she dreams of dayK
That blinks above head on the snowN
Watching the mice that squeaks belowN
And foddering boys sojourn againG
By ryhme hung hedge and frozen plainH
Shuffling thro the sinking snowsC
Blowing his fingers as he goesC
To where the stock in bellowings hoarseC
Call for their meals in dreary closeC
And print full many a hungry trackO
Round circling hedge that guards the stackO
Wi higgling tug he cuts the hayK
And bares the forkfull loads awayK
And morn and evening daily throwsC
The little heaps upon the snowsC
The shepherd too in great coat wraptK
And straw bands round his stockings laptK
Wi plodding dog that sheltering stealsC
To shun the wind behind his heelsC
Takes rough and smooth the winter weatherP
And paces thro the snow togetherP
While in the fields the lonly ploughQ
Enjoys its frozen sabbath nowQ
And horses too pass time awayK
In leisures hungry holidayK
Rubbing and lunging round the yardK
Dreaming no doubt of summer swardK
As near wi idle pace they drawR
To brouze the upheapd cribs of strawR
While whining hogs wi hungry roarS
Crowd around the kitchen doorS
Or when their scanty meal is doneT
Creep in the straw the cold to shunT
And old hens scratting all the dayK
Seeks curnels chance may throw awayK
Pausing to pick the seed and grainH
Then dusting up the chaff againG
While in the barn holes hid from viewU
The cats their patient watch pursueU
For birds which want in flocks will drawR
From woods and fields to pick the strawR
The soodling boy that saunters roundK
The yard on homward dutys boundK
Now fills the troughs for noisy hogsC
Oft asking aid from barking dogsC
That tuggles at each flopping earV
Of such as scramble on too nearW
Or circld round wi thirsty stockX
That for his swinging labours flockX
At clanking pump his station takesC
Half hid in mist their breathing makesC
Or at the pond before the doorS
Which every night leaves frozen oerS
Wi heavy beetle splinters roundK
The glossy ice wi jarring soundK
While huddling geese as half asleepM
Doth round the imprisond water creepM
Silent and sad to wait his aidK
And soon as ere a hole is madeK
They din his ears wi pleasures cryS
And hiss at all that ventures nighS
Splashing wi jealous joys vainH
Their fill ere it be froze againG
And woodstack climbs at maids desireS
Throwing down faggots for the fireS
Where stealing time he often standsC
To warm his half froze tingling handsC
The schoolboy still in dithering joysC
Pastime in leisure hours employsC
And be the weather as it mayK
Is never at a loss for playK
Rolling up giant heaps of snowN
As noontide frets its little thawR
Making rude things of various namesC
Snow men or aught their fancy framesC
Till numbd wi cold they quake awayK
And join at hotter sports to playK
Kicking wi many a flying boundK
The football oer the frozen groundK
Or seeking bright glib ice to playK
To sailing slide the hours awayK
As smooth and quick as shadows runT
When clouds in autumn pass the sunT
Some hurrying rambles eager takeY
To skait upon the meadow lakeY
Scaring the snipe from her retreatK
From shelving banks unfrozen seatK
Or running brook where icy sparsC
Which the pale sunlight specks wi starsC
Shoots crizzling oer the restless tideK
To many a likness petrifiedK
Where fancy often stoops to poreS
And turns again to wonder moreS
The more hen too wi fear opprestK
Starts from her reedy shelterd nestK
Bustling to get from foes awayK
And scarcly flies more fast then theyK
Skaiting along wi curving springsC
Wi arms spread out like herons wingsC
They race away for pleasures sakeY
A hunters speed along the lakeY
And oft neath trees where ice is thinZ
Meet narrow scapes from breaking inZ
Again the robin waxes tameA2
And ventures pitys crumbs to claimA2
Picking the trifles off the snowN
Which dames on purpose daily throwN
And perching on the window sillL
Where memory recolecting stillL
Knows the last winters broken paneH
And there he hops and peeps againG
The clouds of starnels dailey flyS
Blackening thro the evening skyS
To whittleseas reed wooded mereS
And ozier holts by rivers nearS
And many a mingld swathy crowdK
Rook crow and jackdaw noising loudK
Fly too and fro to dreary fenG
Dull winters weary flight agenG
Flopping on heavy wings awayK
As soon as morning wakens greyK
And when the sun sets round and redK
Returns to naked woods to bedK
Wood pigeons too in flocks appearS
By hunger tamd from timid fearS
They mid the sheep unstartld stealL
And share wi them a scanty mealL
Picking the green leaves want bestowsC
Of turnips sprouting thro the snowsC
The ickles from the cottage eavesC
Which cold nights freakish labour leavesC
Fret in the sun a partial thawR
Pattring on the pitted snowG
But soon as ere hes out of sightK
They eke afresh their tails at nightK
The sun soon creepeth out of sightK
Behind the woods and running nightK
Makes haste to shut the days dull eyeS
And grizzles oer the chilly skyS
Dark deep and thick by day forsookB2
As cottage chimneys sooty nookB2
While maidens fresh as summer rosesC
Joining from the distant closesC
Haste home wi yokes and swinging pailL
And thresher too sets by his flailL
And leaves the mice at peace agenG
To fill their holes wi stolen grainG
And owlets glad his toils are oerS
Swoops by him as he shuts the doorS
The shepherd seeks his cottage warmI
And tucks his hook beneath his armC2
And weary in the cold to roamD2
Scenting the track that leadeth homeD2
His dog wi swifter pace proceedsC
And barks to urge his masters speedK
Then turns and looks him in the faceC
And trotts before Wi mending paceC
Till out of whistle from the swainG
He sits him down and barks againG
Anxious to greet the opend doorS
And meet the cottage fire once moreS
The robin that wi nimble eyeS
Glegs round a danger to espyE2
Now pops from out the opend doorS
From crumbs half left upon the floorS
Nor wipes his bill on perching chairS
Nor stays to clean a feather thereS
Scard at the cat that sliveth inG
A chance from evenings glooms to winG
To jump on chairs or tables nighS
Seeking what plunder may supplyS
The childerns litterd scraps to thieveS
Or aught that negligence may leaveS
Creeping when huswives cease to watchF2
Or dairey doors are off the latchG2
On cheese or butter to regaleS
Or new milk reeking in the paleS
The hedger now in leathern coatK
From woodland wilds and fields remoteK
After a journey far and slowS
Knocks from his shoes the caking snowS
And opes the welcome creaking doorS
Throwing his faggot on the floorS
And at his listening wifes desireS
To eke afresh the blazing fireS
Wi sharp bill cuts the hazel bandsC
Then sets him down to warm his handsC
And tell in labours happy wayK
His story of the passing dayK
While as the warm blaze cracks and gleamsC
The supper reeks in savoury steamsC
Or keetle simmers merrilyS
And tinkling cups are set for teaS
Thus doth the winters dreary dayK
From morn to evening wear awayK

John Clare



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