Classic Poem

A Cottage Evening

The shutte[r]s closd the lamp alight
The faggot chopt & blazing bright
The shepherd from his labour free
Dancing his childern on his knee
Or toasting sloe boughs sputtering ripe
Or smoaking glad his puthering pipe
While underneath his masters seat
The tird dog lies in slumbers sweet
Startling & whimpering in his sleep
Chasing still the straying sheep
The cat rolld round in vacant chair
Or leaping childerns knees to lair
Or purring on the warmer hearth
Sweet chorus to the crickets mirth
The red cap hanging over head
In cage of wire is perchd abed
Slumbering in his painted feathers
Unconcous of the outdoor weathers
& things wi out the cottage walls
Meet comfort as the evening falls
As happy in the winters dearth
As those around the blazing hearth
The ass frost drove from off the moors
Were storms thro naked bushes roars
& not a leaf or sprig of green
On ground or quaking bush is seen
Save grey veind ivys hardy pride
Round old trees by the common side
Litterd wi straw now dozes warm
Neath the yard hovel from the storm
The swine well fed & in the sty
& fowl snug perchd in hovel nigh
Wi head in feathers safe asleep
Were fox find neer a hole to creep
& geese that gabble in their dreams
Of litterd corn & thawing streams
The sparrow too their daily guest
Is in the cottage eves at rest
& robin small & smaller wren
Are in their warm holes safe agen
From falling snows that winnow bye
The hovels were they nightly lye
& ague winds that shake the tree
Were other birds are forcd to be
The huswife busy night & day
Cleareth the supper things away
While jumping cat starts from her seat
& streaking up on weary feet
The dog wakes at the welcome tones
That calls him up to pick the bones
On corner walls a glittering row
Hang fire irons less for use then show
Tongues bright wi huswifes rubbing toil
Who d sooner burn her hands then soil
When sticks want mending up & when
Mores sought to eke the blaze agen
& sifter dangling by their side
& poker in the fire untryd
& horshoe brightend as a spell
Witchcrafts evil powers to quell
& warming pan reflecting bright
The crackling blazes twittering light
That hangs the corner wall to grace
& seldom taken from its place
Save when the winter keener falls
Searching thro the cottage walls
Then quaking from the cottage fire
Warm beds as comforts they require
Yet still tis bright as gold can be
& childern often peep to see
Their laughing faces as they pass
Gleam on the lid as plain as glass
Things cleard away then down she sits
& tells her tales by starts & fits
Not willing to loose time or toil
She knits or sues & talks the while
Somthing as may be warnings found
To the young listners gaping round
Of boys who in her early day
Strolld to the meadow lake to play
& skaited races void of fear
Oer deeps or shallows any were
Till willows oer the brink inclind
Shelterd the water from the wind
& left it scarcly crizzld oer
When one plopt in to rise no more
& how upon a market night
When near a star bestowed its light
A farmers shepherd oer his glass
Forgot that he had woods to pass
Who overtook by darkness deep
Had been to sell his masters sheep
Till coming wi his startld horse
To were two roads a hollow cross
Were lone guide when a stranger strays
A white post points four different ways
There by the woodsides lonly gate
A murdering robber lay in wait
The frighted horse wi broken rein
Stood at the stable door again
But none came home to fill his rack
Or take the saddle from his back
The saddle it was all he bore
The man was seen alive no more
In her young days beside the wood
The gibbet in its terror stood
Tho now all gone tis not forgot
Still dreaded as a haunted spot
& from her memory oft repeats
Witches dread powers & fairey feats
How one has oft been known to prance
In cowcribs like a coach to france
& rid on sheep trays from the fold
A race horse speed to burton hold
To join the midnight mysterys rout
Were witches meet the year about
& how when met wi unawares
They instant turn to cats or hares
& race along wi hellish flight
Now here & there & out of sight
& how the tother tiny things
Will leave their moonlight meadow rings
& unpercievd thro keyholes creep
When alls in bed & fast asleep
& crowd in cupboards as they please
As thick as mites in rotten cheese
To feast on what the cotter leaves
For mice ant reckond bigger thieves
They take away too well as eat
& still the huswifes eye they cheat
Nothing to miss as other thieves
Alls left the same as she percieves
In spite of all the crowds that swarm
In cottage small & larger farm
That thro each key hole pop & pop
Like wasps into a grocers shop
Wi all the things that they can win
From chance to put their plunders in
The shells of wallnuts split in two
By crows who wi the curnels flew
& acorn cups by stock doves pluckt
& eggshells by a cuckoo suckt
That hold what ever things they please
Stole tea or sugar bread or cheese
Wi broad leaves of the sycamore
To rap as cloths their daintys oer
& hazel nutts when they regale
In cellars brought to hold their ale
Wi bungholes squirrels bored well
To get the curnel from the shell
Or maggots a way out to win
When all was eat that grew within
& be the key holes ere so high
Rush poles a laders help supply
Were soft the climbers fearless treads
On spindles made of benty threads
& foul or fair or dark the night
Their wild fire lamps are ready light
For which full many a daring crime
Is acted in the summer time
When glowworms found in lanes remote
Is murderd for its shining coat
& put in flowers that nature weaves
Wi hollow shapes & silken leaves
Such as the canterbury bell
Serving for lamp or lanthorn well
Or following wi unwearied watch
The flight of one they cannot match
As silence sliveth upon sleep
Or thieves by dozing watchdogs creep
They steal from Jack a lanthorns tails
A light whose guidance never fails
To aid them in the darkest night
& guide their plundering steps aright
Rattling away in printless tracks
Some horsd on beetles glossy backs
Go wisking on & others hie
As fast as loaded moths can flye
Some urge the morning cock to shun
The hardest gallop mice can run
In chariots lolling at their ease
Made of what ere their fancys please
Things that in childhoods memory dwells
Scoopd crow-pot-stones or cockle shells
Wi weels at hand of mallow seeds
Were childish sports were stringing beads
& thus equipd they softly pass
Like shadows on the summer grass
& drive away in troops together
Just as the spring wind drives a feather
They ride oer insects as a stone
Nor bruize a limb nor brake a bone
As light as happy dreams they creep
Nor brake the feeblest link of sleep
A midgeon in their road abed
Neer feels the wheels run oer his head
But sleeps till sunrise calls him up
Unconscous of the passing troop
Thus dames the winter night regales
Wi wonders never ceasing tales
While in the corner ill at ease
Or crushing tween their fathers knees
The childern silent all the while
& een repressd the laugh or smile
Quak[e] wi the ague chills of fear
& tremble while they love to hear
Startling while they the tales recall
At their own shadows on the wall
Till the old clock that strikes unseen
Behind the picture pasted screene
Were Eve & Adam still agree
To rob lifes fatal apple tree
Counts over bed times hour of rest
& bids each be sleep[s] fearful guest
She then her half told tales will leave
To finish on tomorrows eve
The childern cringe away to bed
& up the ladder softly tread
Scarce daring from their fearful joys
To look behind or make a noise
Nor speak a word but still as sleep
They secret to their pillows creep
& whisper oer in terrors way
The prayers they dare no louder say
& hide their heads behind the cloaths
& try in vain to seek repose
While yet to fancys sleepless eye
Witches on sheep trays gallop bye
& faireys like to rising sparks
Swarm twittering round them in the dark
Till sleeps creeps nigh to ease their cares
& drops upon them unawares
O spirit of the days gone bye
Sweet childhoods fearful extacy
The witching spells of winter nights
Were are they fled wi their delights
When listning on the corner seat
The winter evenings length to cheat
I heard my mothers memory tell
Tales super[s]tition loves so well
Things said or sung a thousand times
In simple prose or simpler ryhmes
Ah were is page of poesy
So sweet as theirs was wont to be
The majic wonders that decievd
When fictions were as truths believd
The fairey feats that once prevaild
Told to delight & never faild
Were are they now their fears & sighs
& tears from founts of happy eyes
Breathless suspense & all their crew
To what wild dwelling have they flew
I read in books but find them not
For poesy hath its youth forgot
I hear them told to childern still
But fear near numbs my spirits chill
I still see faces pale wi dread
While mine coud laugh at what is said
See tears imagind woes supply
While mine wi real cares are dry
Were are they gone the joys & fears
The links the life of other years
I thought they bound around my heart
So close that we coud never part
But reason like a winters day
Nipt childhoods visions all away
Nor left behind one withering flower
To cherish in a lonly hour
Memory may yet the themes repeat
But childhoods heart doth cease to beat
At storys reasons sterner lore
Turneth like gossips from her door
The majic fountain were the head
Rose up just as the startld maid
Was stooping from the weedy brink
To dip her pitcher in to drink
That did its half hid mystery tell
To smooth its hair & use it well
Who doing as it bade her do
Turnd to a king & lover too
The tale of Cinderella told
The winter thro & never old
The faireys favourite & friend
Who made her happy in the end
The pumpkin that at her approach
Was turnd into a golden coach
The rats that faireys majic knew
& instantly to horses grew
& coachmen ready at her call
To drive her to the princes ball
With fur changd jackets silver lind
& tails hung neath their hats behind
Were soon as met the princes sight
She made his heart ach all the night
The golden glove wi fingers small
She lost while dancing in the hall
That was on every finger tryd
& fitted hers & none beside
When cinderella soon as seen
Was woo d & won & made a queen
The boy that did the jiants slay
& gave his mothers cows away
For majic mask that day or night
When on woud keep him out of sight
& running beans not such as weaves
Round poles the hight of cottage eves
But majic ones that travelld high
Some steeples journeys up the sky
& reachd a jiants dwelling there
A cloud built castle in the air
Were venturing up the fearfull height
That servd him climbing half the night
He searchd the jiants coffers oer
& never wanted wealth no more
While like a lion scenting food
The jiant roard in hungry mood
A storm of threats that might suffice
To frieze the hottest blood to ice
& make when heard however bold
The strongest heart strings cramp wi cold
But mine sleeps on thro fear & dread
& terrors that might wake the dead
When like a lion in the wood
He snufts & tracks the scent of blood
& vows if aught falls in his power
He ll grind their very bones to flower
I hear it now nor dream of harm
The storm is settld to a calm
Those fears are dead what will not dye
In fading lifes mortality
Those truths are fled & left behind
A real world & doubting mind