Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A VERMONT BOOTMAKER, by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A VERMONT BOOTMAKER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There's lots of other themes and things
Last Line: The boots that loren lawrence made?
Subject(s): Marching & Marches; Parades; Vermont


THERE'S lots of other themes and things
Than those the English laureate sings;
There's lots of other things and themes
Than those o'er which Tagore dreams;
For instance, I would sing today
Of un petit cordonnier:
Unawed, I rise to serenade
The boots that Loren Lawrence made.

No gentleman e'er put his foot
Inside a better fitting boot;
Too fine for me, I loved to meet
A pair on lawyer Wardner's feet;
To get 'em on unhitched no cough,
A little jacking got 'em off;
They always led the church parade—
The boots that Loren Lawrence made.

The webbing straps aflame with dye,
A white man's instep, high and dry;
The shank with jest a touch of steel,
The simple solid-leather heel;
The toe exactly square enough,
And nothing 'bout 'em wrong or rough—
So stood the boots that cast a shade
O'er boots by other makers made.

Devoid of nails and prickly pegs,
They fitted men with manly legs;
The soles besmelt so strong of oak
They'd sprout if they was put a-soak;
The uppers, when the soles was gone,
You still could strop your razor on—
All other boots was second grade
Beside the boots that Loren made.

I wonder where his tools repose,
And where his lasts, if living, doze;
His shave, his lamp, his favorite awl,
His bench that stood against the wall;
His hammer, king of all the kit,
That earnt ten cents each time it hit;
Ye implements of Loren's trade,
Ye boosted well the boots he made.

Oh! tell me, What Vermonter last
His boots inside the barrel cast?
Who finally, of Freedom's band
Threw up, as 'twere, his bootless hand?
Who last of all, exclaimed "Alack!"
And burnt his trees and chucked his jack?
And who again will serenade
The boots that Loren Lawrence made?





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