Shearing (1870)
The long drear night and the rainy day
Have pass'd, like a dream of youth, away ;
The wintery blast and the threatening flood,
Give place to sunshine that warmeth the blood.
No longer wee see clouds and impending shower.
Bur verdant pastures and gentle flowers,
While the bright sunbeams and the shadows play,
Sway'd by silent zephyrs all the long day ;
And the waving crops feel the sigh,
As light breezes dance sweetly be.
Our wooly friends in the sun do bask,
Panting for man to begin his task.
Of their winter clothing them to bereave--
His own needy wants and care to relieve.
Behold where, bound, and of its robe bereft
By needy man, that all-dcpending lord.
How meek, how patient, the mild creature lies !
What softness in its melancholy face.
What dumb complaining innocence appears !
Fear not, you gentles, 'tis not tie knife
Od horrid slaughter that is o'er you waved ;
No, tis the tender swain's well-guided shears,
Who, having now to pay his annual care,
Borrowed your fleece, to you a cumbrous load,
Will send you bounding to your hills again.
"Meantime the joyous task goes on apace :
Some mingling stir the melted tar, and some,
Deep on the new shorn vagrant's heaving side
To stamp his master's cipher ready stand."
BUCOLICUS.
Buchara, October 6.
Notes
From the Victorian Newspaper Hamilton Spectator Saturday 15 October 1870 p. 1 S.