A POEM 



Delivered before the Eousatonic Agricultural Society, Sept. 27, 1878, 



BY GEOEGE A. 8HEPABD. 



Thy gentle inspiration 



O Muse 1 I ask once more, 

 While Pegasus is soaring 



To realms of rhyme explore. 

 You've had your Marshall Warner, 



Facetious Doctor Heath, 

 And true born poet, Sumner, 



So pithy, witty, brief, 

 How I shall entertain you 



Has puzzled me aloft, 

 Ere fairly you've recovered 



From Buch a sparkling Frost. 

 You have been richly treated, 



Such themes are not amiss, 

 You've had a noble sample 



Of true " Frost work of bliss." 

 The subject, too, is timely, 



And should not be ignored, 

 Those worn-out farms, I wish wo 



Might see them all restored. 

 To see the hard-hacks, alders. 



The tbistlea, brakes and briars, 

 Consumed by sweeping vernal 



Or late autumnal fires. 

 For pests like these in Berkshire 



In plenty yet abound. 

 And in some sections, also 



Monopolize the ground. 

 It needs a man that's nervy. 



Unflinching, sturdy, stout, 

 And yoke of cattle, " bunkum," 



To yank the intruders out. 

 But, 'tis the farmer's mission 



To dig. and delve and plow, 

 To eat his bread and earn it 



By the sweating of his brow. 

 But if he's only plucky. 



And back-bone stiflF, has got, 

 He'll conquer, spite of thunder. 



From heap, come out at top. 



What though his hands are callous, 



His face sun-burned and brown 1 

 His b'fe is independent, 



Content his labors crown. 

 He takes delight in roaming 

 Among his thriving herds. 

 And listening to their lowing, 



And warbling of the birds. 

 He pleasure takes in rambling 



Among his fertile crops. 

 Feels proud of what he's doing, — 



'Tis not the pride of fops. 

 Whose only pride is dressing 



And making a vain show. 

 But as for brains, are lacking 

 In what they ought to know. 

 No man can be a dandy 



And thorough farmer, too. 

 This gaudy, flaunting glitter, 



Ah I that will never do 1 

 To don rich robes and jewels, 



And sparkling gems and pearls. 

 And spend one's time in sporting, 



And flirting with the girls; 

 Make debts for fine apparel. 



And owe for bed and board, 

 Is not the way New England's 



Old farms will be restored. 

 Let farmers' girls ignore them. 



Leave all such pompous swells 

 To uigh-toned Saratoga, 



Long Branch, and Newport belles. 

 What such coxcombs were made for 



I never yet could think, 

 Unless, in social structure, 



To work them in for chink. 

 Give me the rugged urchin 

 With heart and will to do. 

 From duty never shrinking, 



tut putting- tlJil.'g:^ light thrcugh; 



