Mexico Missouri message., 1902-07-24
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BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER

BLESSINGS OH thee, little man,
barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
with thy turned-up pantaloons.
And thy merry whisted tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by Strawberries on the hill:
with the sunshine on thy face,
Through thy torn brims jaunty grace;
From my heart give thee joy
was once u barefoot boy!
Prince thou art-thc grown-up man
Only is republican.
Let the million -dolarcd ride!
barefoot trudgng at his side,
Thou hast more than he can buy
In the reach OF ear and eyc,-
Outward sunshine, inward Joy:
Blessings on thee, barefoot boy.
Oh, for boyhood'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 habtudc
OF the tenants of the wood;
How the tortoise bears his she'll
How the woodchuck builds his cell
And the ground mole sinks his we'll;
How the robin feeds her young,
How the orioles nest Is hung:
Where the whtcst lilies blow.
Where the freshest berries grow
Where the ground nut trails its vine,
Where the wood grapes clusters shine;
OF the black wasp's cunning way,
Mason Of his walls OF clay.
And the architectural plans
OF the gray hornet artisans.
For, eschcwing books and 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 boy.
Oh, for boyhoods time Of June,
Crowdlng years In one brief moon.
When all things heard or saw,
Me, their master, waited for.
was rich In flowers and trees,
HummIng birds and honey bees:
For my sport the squirrel played,
Piled the snoutcd mole his spade
For my taste the blackberry cone
Purplcd over hedge and stone:
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;
Mine the sand trimmed pickerel pond.
Mine the walnut slopes beyond
Mine, Oh bending orchard trees.
Apples Of liespcrdcs.
Still as my horizon grew,
Larger grew mp riches, too:
All the world saw or knew
Seemed u complex Chinese toy.
Fashioned for II barefoot boy!
Oh, for festal daintics spread.
Like my bowl OF milk and bread;
Pewter spoon and bowl Of wood
On the door stone gray and rude
Der me, like Il regal tent,
Cloudy the sunset bent,
Purple-curtaincd, fringcd with gold,
Looped in many Il wind-Swung fold:
While for the music came the play
OF the pied frogs orchestra:
And to light the noisy choir,
Lit the fly his lamp Of fire.
was monarch: pomp and joy
Waited ON the barefoot Joy.
Checrlly, then. my little man,
Live and laugh as boyhood can.
Though the fiinty slopes be hard.
Stnbble- -spearcd the new mOwn Sward,
Every morn shall lead thee through
Fresh baptisms Of the dew;
Every evening from thy feet
Shall the cool wind kiss the heat:
All too soon these feet must hide
In the prison cells Of pride,
Lose the freedom OF the sod
Like Il colts for work bc shOd
Made 10 tread the mills OF toll,
Up and down In ccasclcss moll:
Happy II their track be found
Never on forbidden ground;
Happy II they sink not In
Quick and trcach"rouS sands of sin.
All, that thou couldst know thy Joy,
Ere 1t passes, barcfOot boy