Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-07-28
POET II 4.
THE BAREFOOT BOY.

Nv JoUH %. WHITTIER
rl,..'uvs on thcc, little man:
unrcio.t hoy, with check oftln
with thy turncd-up rautlloons,
And thy merry whi>tlcl tunes
With thy red lip r,dler still,
Kissed 10y strawberries ON the hill
With the sunshine ou thy face,
Through thy torn hrim'- itunty grace
From my loa | give thee joy
was once barefoot boy
Prince thou art-thc grown up man.
only /. republican.
bet tie milli.n-lolldrcd ride
Barefoot, trudgiu- at his side.
Thou hast more than hc can buy,
In the reach of ear and eye
Outward sun. hiuc, inward joy
blessings ON thee, bare .oot boy
oh fli boyhood's painless play,
Sleep that wake, in laughing day
Health that mock, the doctors rules;
kuuwled.c, never learned of schools,
OF the wild byc's morning chase,
OF the wild flowers time and place,
Ti.ht of fowl and habitudc
OF the tenants of the wood,
How the tortoise bears his she'll,
How the woodchuck digs his cell,
And the ground-molc sinks hi' we'll
How the robin feeds her young,
How tac oriulc', nest is hung
Where the Whitcst lilies blow,
Whcic the freshest berries grow,
Where the ground nut trails its vino,
Whore the wooi-gnpe's clusters shine
OF the black wtSp's cunning way,
Mason OF mis- vail, of clay,
And the architectural plans
OF grey hornet artisans =
I,,r ,srItyvltirr luol,e nd task
Nature answers all he asks
Hand in hand with her he walks.
Face to Face with her he talks.
Part aud parcel Of her ioy,-
Blessings on he barefoot boy
Oh for boyhood's time Of June,
Crowdiag years in one brief moon.
Nhc4 all things heard or saw.
,i., th IT, master, waited for.
wa. rich in flowers ant trees,
Ilmumins birds an honey bees
For my sport the squirrel played,
Plicl the shouted mole his spate
For my taste the blackberry cone
Purrlcl over hedge and stone;
Laughed tho brook for my delight
Through the day and through the night,
Whispering at the GARDEN wall,
Talked with me from fall TO fall
Mine the sand.rimncd pickercl pond,
Mine the walnut slopes beyond,
Miuc the bending orchard trees,
Apples oc Ilcspcridcs
sun, a. my horizon grew,
Larg r grew my riches too
All the world saw or knew,
Seemed complex Chinese toy,
Fashioned for a blrolootboy
Oh for f.stal dainties spread,
Like my bowl of milk and bread,
Pewter Spoons amt bowl Of wood,
Ca the door stone, gtay and rudn
Ger me like a regal tent.
Cluudv-rihbed the sunset bent,
purplc-curtaincd, fringed with gold,
Luoped in many II wind-swng fold
while for music came the play
or the pied frogs orchestra
And. tn light the noisy choir,
I.it the fly hi, lamp Of fire.
was monarch pomp and joy
Waited on the barefoot boy
Chcerly, then, my little man,
Live and laugh IL hoyhood can
Though the linty slopes be hard.
~tubblc-.pcaIed the ncw-nown sward.
Every nom shall lead thee through
Fresh hlptisins Of the dew
Every evening from thy feet
Shall the cool wind. kiss the heat
iu too soon those teot must hide
IN the prison cell Of pride
Lost the freedom ol the sod,
Like colt, for work he,hoi,
Made t, tread the mllls of toll,
Ip and down Ia ecasclcs, moil-
hurpy II tN,c'r JrucA bv found
Never on forbidden ground
lilppy it they sini, not in
Q4i,k and troacacfous sands Of sin