Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-06-18
THE BAREFOOT BOY.

uE JpHN L. hAA AAEA
D.asslnrs on thee, little man.
R,refpnt boy. with cheek OF tan,
VITA my ;urned-up pantaloops,
4 "A thy merry wnisiled tunes,
with thy red lips, reider still
X sSed by Strawberries on me NIL
With the sunshine on thy lace,
Through thy torn brim's iaunty grace :;
F.om my heart give thee JOY
was once barefoo: boy
Prince thou art,-the grown-up man
Olly is republican
Let the million-dollared ride,
Barefoot, trudging At his side,
Tlou hast more than he can buy
In the reach of ear and eye
Outward shine, inward JOY
Blessings or thee, barefoot boy.
o for boyhooi's painless play,
Sleep that wakes in laughing day,
Health that mocks the doctors rules,
Knowledge never learned OF schools,
OF the wild bees morning chase,
OF the wild flowers time and place,
Flight OF fowl and habitude
OF the tenants OF the wood;
How the tortoise bears his shell,
How the woodchuck digs his cell,
And the ground mole sinks his well
Upw the robin feeds his young
HON the orioles nest IS nunS
W icre the whitest lilies blow.
Were the freshest berries grow,
Waere the groundnut trals us Vlne.
Were the woodgrape's clusters shine
or the black wasp's cunning way,
Mlson of his walls OF clay,
AID the architectural plans
OF gray hornet art slnsi-
FJ r-c.i,,lliE DJVas AID tasks,
Nature answers all he asks,
Hand IN hand with her he walks
Face 10 face with her he talks,
Part and parcel of her JOY
Blessings on the barefoot boyl-
Ell for boyhood's time OF June,
Crowdng years in one brief moon,
When ali things heard or saw,
Me, their master, waited for.
was rich in flowers and trees,
Humming-birds and honey bees;
For nv sport the squirrel PLAYED
Pied the shouted mole his spade:
For nv taste the blackberry cone
Purpled over ridge and stoSe;
Laughed the brook for my delight
Through the day and through the night,
Whispering at the garden wall,
Talked with me from fall TO fall;
Mige the sand rimed p.ckerel pond,
Mine the walnut slopes beyond
Mlllt. vi btllAAhe bAAhdsh AA'sF-
Ap1les of llesDeridcs
Sill. as Ely horizon grew,
Llrger grew my riches too:
Al the world l saw or knew
: emcJa coihpleX Chinese toy
+ Flshioned for 4 barefoot boy!
o for festal daiaties spread,
Ike nv bowl OF milk and bread
p .wter spoon and bowl of wood,
OA the doOrstone gray and rude
Der ma. Ike regal tent,
C.cudy-ribbcd, the sunset bcEt,
Purpled crriaincd, frInged with gold,
Lloped in many 4 wind-swung fold;
While for music c..lne The PLAY
OF the pied frogs orchestra;
Ard. 10 light the noisy choir.
LIT the fly his lamp of fire.
was monarch pomp and joy
Waited on the barefoot boy
Caacrf.v. then. nv little man,
1--we and laugh as boyhood can
Though the iiniy slopes be harI-
the new-mOwn sward,
Every mora hall lead thee through
Fresh ha;iIsm5 of the dew
Every evening from thy fcct
Sl.I the cool wind kiss the heat;
All 100 sooa these feet must hide
Ia the prison cells of pride,
Lose the freedom of the sod.
Like a colts for work be shodl
Made 10 tread the mills OF toll
= and down in ceaseless mol;
,Iippv if their track be found
Csver on forbidden ground;
Happy II they sink not in
luick and treacherous sands OF sin,
Al that thou couldst know tEy JOY,
Ere II pgs ses. barefoot hoyl