The Hock-cart, Or Harvest Home Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCDEFFGGHHIIJJKKLL MGGGGNOPPQQRRGSTSUUV VWXGGGYYZZA2A2B2B2C2| To the Right Honourable Mildmay Earl of Westmoreland | A |
| - | |
| Come sons of summer by whose toil | B |
| We are the lords of wine and oil | B |
| By whose tough labours and rough hands | C |
| We rip up first then reap our lands | C |
| Crown'd with the ears of corn now come | D |
| And to the pipe sing Harvest Home | E |
| Come forth my lord and see the cart | F |
| Dress'd up with all the country art | F |
| See here a malkin there a sheet | G |
| As spotless pure as it is sweet | G |
| The horses mares and frisking fillies | H |
| Clad all in linen white as lilies | H |
| The harvest swains and wenches bound | I |
| For joy to see the Hock cart crown'd | I |
| About the cart hear how the rout | J |
| Of rural younglings raise the shout | J |
| Pressing before some coming after | K |
| Those with a shout and these with laughter | K |
| Some bless the cart some kisses the sheaves | L |
| Some prank them up with oaken leaves | L |
| Some cross the fill horse some with great | M |
| Devotion stroke the home borne wheat | G |
| While other rustics less attent | G |
| To prayers than to merriment | G |
| Run after with their breeches rent | G |
| Well on brave boys to your lord's hearth | N |
| Glitt'ring with fire where for your mirth | O |
| Ye shall see first the large and chief | P |
| Foundation of your feast fat beef | P |
| With upper stories mutton veal | Q |
| And bacon which makes full the meal | Q |
| With sev'ral dishes standing by | R |
| As here a custard there a pie | R |
| And here all tempting frumenty | G |
| And for to make the merry cheer | S |
| If smirking wine be wanting here | T |
| There's that which drowns all care stout beer | S |
| Which freely drink to your lord's health | U |
| Then to the plough the common wealth | U |
| Next to your flails your fanes your fats | V |
| Then to the maids with wheaten hats | V |
| To the rough sickle and crook'd scythe | W |
| Drink frolic boys till all be blythe | X |
| Feed and grow fat and as ye eat | G |
| Be mindful that the lab'ring neat | G |
| As you may have their fill of meat | G |
| And know besides ye must revoke | Y |
| The patient ox unto the yoke | Y |
| And all go back unto the plough | Z |
| And harrow though they're hang'd up now | Z |
| And you must know your lord's word's true | A2 |
| Feed him ye must whose food fills you | A2 |
| And that this pleasure is like rain | B2 |
| Not sent ye for to drown your pain | B2 |
| But for to make it spring again | C2 |
Robert Herrick
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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