Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FOURTH OF JULY IN VERMONT, by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FOURTH OF JULY IN VERMONT, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When july fourth was getting near
Last Line: And tell the rest another year.
Subject(s): Brooks; Country Life; Fourth Of July; Freedom; Vermont; Streams; Creeks; Independence Day; Liberty


WHEN July Fourth was getting near
A feller's days was filled with fear;
The Sunday school would have a ride,
They said, and then 'twould be denied;
A rumored mountain-climbing trip
Was nothing but a lot of lip;
But when the preacher, Mr. Grout,
A-fore the sermon give it out
There'd be a picnic 'Pendence Day
We boys felt better right away.

We knew 'twould be in Walker's woods,
Acrost the brook from Sukey Goode's,
She didn't mind, she used to say,
How much they heel-marked Walker's hay;
But there was lots and lots to do
To put the preparations through;
The Grange settees would have to go
To give the choir a decent show;
The organ, too, or Inez Spring,
Our off-key alto, wouldn't sing.

And first, a scout would go and look
To see if teams could ford the brook,
And then a gang to mow the brakes
And cut the brush and kill the snaix;
The table squad took five or more,
The teter force from two to four;
Another crew to rig the swings
And fetch the drinking water things,
And, last of all, a special band
To build or buy a speakers' stand.

Meantime, the ladies met to see
A-what the eating plan should be;
Should famblys have a fambly lunch,
Or should the allies feed the bunch;
If pinkish lemonade was sold
The "traffic," sure, must be controlled;
And then the speakers—Colonel Jay,
Who come to town to play croquet,
Should he be asked, the rich old thing!
Or should the choir jest sing and sing.

The ladies also made it plain
The sugar house, in case of rain,
Would be the only place to 'scape
And ought to be a-put in shape:
Now comes the picnic—hear the fife,
And see the flags all full of life!
But, Gracious! it's a-took so long
To get this picnic going strong,
I guess I'd better stop right here
And tell the rest another year.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net