Saturday 1 June 2013

Knee Deep in June


                   


Photo courtesy www.sacfi.org.





                    Tell you what I like the best -
                                'Long about knee-deep in June,
                            'Bout the time strawberries melts
                            On the vine, - some afternoon
                    Like to jes' git out and rest,
                            And not work at nothin' else!

                    Orchard's where I'd ruther be -
                    Needn't fence it in fer me! -
                        Jes' the whole sky overhead,
                    And the whole airth underneath -
                    Sort o' so's a man kin breathe
                        Like he ort, and kind o' has
                    Elbow-room to keerlessly
`                            Sprawl out len'thways on the grass
                                Where the shadders thick and soft
                            As the kivvers on the bed
                                Mother fixes in the loft
                    Allus, when they's company!
        
                    Jes' a-sort o' lazin there -
                        S'lazy, 'at you peek and peer
                                Through the wavin' leaves above,
`                                Like a feller 'ats in love
                    And don't know it, ner don't keer!
                    Ever'thing you hear and see
                            Got some sort o' interest -
                            Maybe find a bluebird's nest
                        Tucked up there conveenently
                        Fer the boy 'at's ap' to be
                        Up some other apple tree!
                    Watch the swallers skootin' past
                    Bout as peert as you could ast;
                        Er the Bob-white raise and whiz
                        Where some other whistle is.
        
                    Ketch a shadder down below,
                    And look up to find the crow -
                    Er a hawk, - away up there,
                    'Pearantly froze in the air! -
                        Hear the old hen squawk, and squat
                        Over ever' chick she's got,
                    Suddent-like! - and she knows where
                        That-air hawk is, well as you! -
                        You jes' bet yer life she do! -
                            Eyes a-glitterin' like glass,
                            Waitin' till he makes a pass!
        
                    Pee-wees wingin', to express
                        My opinion, 's second-class,
                    Yit you'll hear 'em more er less;
                            Sapsucks gittin' down to biz,
                    Weedin' out the lonesomeness;
                        Mr. Bluejay, full o' sass,
                            In them baseball clothes o' his,
                    Sportin' round the orchad jes'
                    Like he owned the premises!
                            Sun out in the fields kin sizz,
                    But flat on yer back, I guess,
                            In the shade's where glory is!
                    That's jes' what I'd like to do
`                    Stiddy fer a year er two!

                    Plague! Ef they ain't somepin' in
                    Work 'at kind o' goes ag'in'
                        My convictions! - 'long about
                                Here in June especially! -
                                Under some ole apple tree,
                                        Jes' a-restin through and through,
                    I could git along without
                                Nothin' else at all to do
                               Only jes' a-wishin' you
                    Wuz a-gittin' there like me,
                    And June wuz eternity!
        
                    Lay out there and try to see
                    Jes' how lazy you kin be! -
                                Tumble round and souse yer head
                    In the clover-bloom, er pull
                                        Yer straw hat acrost yer eyes
                                        And peek through it at the skies,
                                    Thinkin' of old chums 'ats dead,
                                        Maybe, smilin' back at you
                    In betwixt the beautiful
                                        Clouds o'gold and white and blue! -
                    Month a man kin railly love -
                    June, you know, I'm talkin' of!

                    March ain't never nothin' new! -
                    Aprile's altogether too
                        Brash fer me! and May - I jes'
                        'Bominate its promises, -
                    Little hints o' sunshine and
                    Green around the timber-land -
                        A few blossoms, and a few
                        Chip-birds, and a sprout er two, -
                        Drap asleep, and it turns in
                        Fore daylight and snows ag'in! -
                    But when June comes - Clear my th'oat
                        With wild honey! - Rench my hair
                    In the dew! And hold my coat!
                                      Whoop out loud! And th'ow my hat! -
                        June wants me, and I'm to spare!
                        Spread them shadders anywhere,
                        I'll get down and waller there,
                                And obleeged to you at that!

James Whitcomb Riley


James Whitcomb Riley courtesy upload.wikimedia.org. 


    

No comments:

Post a Comment