| |
| THREE sheep graze on the low hill | |
| Beneath the shadow of five trees. | |
| Three sheep! | |
| Five old sycamores! | |
| (The noon is very full of sleep. | 5 |
| The noon’s a shepherd kind and still. | |
| The noon’s a shepherd takes his ease | |
| Beneath the shadow of five trees, | |
| Five old sycamores.) | |
| Three sheep graze on the low hill. | 10 |
| Down in the grass, in twos and fours, | |
| Cows are munching in the field. | |
| Three sheep graze on the low hill: | |
| Bless them, Lord, to give me wool. | |
| Cows are munching in the field: | 15 |
| Bless them that their teats be full. | |
| Bless the sheep and cows to yield | |
| Wool to keep my children warm, | |
| Milk that they should grow therefrom. | |
| |
| Three sheep graze on the low hill, | 20 |
| Beneath five sycamores. | |
| Cows are munching in the field, | |
| All in twos and fours. | |
| |
| On an elm-tree far aloof | |
| There are nine-and-twenty crows, | 25 |
| Croaking to the blue sky roof | |
| Fifteen hundred ancient woes. | |
| |
| In a cracked deserted house, | |
| Six owls cloaked with age and dream— | |
| In a cracked deserted house, | 30 |
| Six owls wait upon a beam, | |
| Wait for the nocturnal mouse. | |
| |
| In the stackyard at my farm | |
| There are fourteen stacks of hay. | |
| Lord, I pray | 35 |
| Keep my golden goods from harm, | |
| |
| Fourteen shining stacks of hay! | |
| |
| Fourteen shining stacks of hay, | |
| Six owls, nine-and-twenty crows, | |
| Three sheep grazing on the hill | 40 |
| Beneath five sycamores, | |
| Fat cows munching in a field, | |
| All in twos and fours— | |
| Fat cows munching in a field, | |
| Fourteen shining stacks of hay. | 45 |
| |
| At a table in a room | |
| Where beyond the window-frames | |
| Glows the sweet geranium— | |
| At a table in a room | |
| My three children play their games | 50 |
| Till their father-poet come. | |
| Stop a moment, listen, wait | |
| Till a father-poet come— | |
| Lovely ones of lovely names, | |
| He shall not come late. | 55 |
| |
| Fourteen shining stacks of hay, | |
| Six owls, nine-and-twenty crows, | |
| Fifteen hundred ancient woes, | |
| Three sheep grazing on the hill | |
| Beneath five sycamores, | 60 |
| Fat cows munching in a field | |
| All in twos and fours— | |
| Fourteen shining stacks of hay, | |
| My three lovely children, one | |
| Mother laughing like the sun, | 65 |
| Sweetheart laughing like the sun | |
| When the baby laughters run. | |
| |
| Now the goal I sought is won, | |
| Sweetheart laughing like the sun, | |
| Now the goal I sought is won, | 70 |
| Sweet, my song is done. | |
| |
