| |
| 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, | 5 |
| 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— | 10 |
| Sorto’ 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 | 15 |
| As the kivvers on the bed | |
| Mother fixes in the loft | |
| Allus, when they’s company! | |
| |
| Jes’ a sort o’ lazein’ there— | |
| S’ lazy, ’at you peek and peer | 20 |
| Through the wavin’ leaves above, | |
| Like a feller ’at’s in love | |
| And don’t know it, ner don’t keer! | |
| Ever’thing you hear and see | |
| Got some sort o’ interest— | 25 |
| Maybe find a bluebird’s nest | |
| Tucked up there conveenently | |
| Fer the boys ’at’s apt to be | |
| Up some other apple-tree! | |
| Watch the swallers skootin’ past | 30 |
| ’Bout as peert as you could ast; | |
| Er the Bobwhite raise and whiz | |
| Where some other’s whistle is. | |
| |
| Ketch a shadder down below, | |
| And look up to find the crow; | 35 |
| Er a hawk away up there, | |
| ’Pearantly froze in the air! | |
| Hear the old hen squawk, and squat | |
| Over every chick she’s got, | |
| Suddent-like!—And she knows where | 40 |
| 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’ singin’, to express | 45 |
| My opinion, ’s second class, | |
| Yit you’ll hear ’em more or less; | |
| Sapsucks gittin’ down to biz, | |
| Weedin’ out the lonesomeness; | |
| Mr. Bluejay, full o’ sass, | 50 |
| In them base-ball clothes o’ his, | |
| Sportin’ ’round the orchard jes’ | |
| Like he owned the premises! | |
| Sun out in the fields kin sizz, | |
| But flat on yer back, I guess, | 55 |
| 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 sompin’ in | |
| Work ’at kind o’ goes ag’in | 60 |
| My convictions!—’long about | |
| Here in June especially! | |
| Under some old apple-tree, | |
| Jes’ a-restin’ through and through, | |
| I could git along without | 65 |
| Nothin’ else at all to do | |
| Only jes’ a-wishin’ you | |
| Was a-gittin’ there like me, | |
| And June was eternity! | |
| |
| Lay out there and try to see | 70 |
| Jes’ how lazy you kin be!— | |
| Tumble round and souse your head | |
| In the clover-bloom, er pull | |
| Yer straw hat acrost yer eyes, | |
| And peek through it at the skies, | 75 |
| Thinkin’ of old chums ’at’s dead, | |
| Maybe smilin’ back at you | |
| In betwixt the beautiful | |
| Clouds o’ gold and white and blue! | |
| Month a man kin railly love— | 80 |
| June, you know, I’m talkin’ of! | |
| |
| March aint never nothin’ new! | |
| April’s altogether too | |
| Brash fer me! and May—I jes’ | |
| ’Bominate its promises, | 85 |
| 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 | 90 |
| ’Fore daylight and snows ag’in! | |
| |
| But when June comes—Clear my throat | |
| With wild honey! Rench my hair | |
| In the dew! and hold my coat! | |
| Whoop out loud! and throw my hat! | 95 |
| June wants me, and I’m to spare! | |
| Spread them shadders anywhere, | |
| I’ll git down and waller there, | |
| And obleeged to you at that! | |
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