Classic and Contemporary Poetry
VERMONT KITCHEN POLES, by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY Poet's Biography First Line: There's lots of old vermontish sights Last Line: Above the kitchen stove. Subject(s): Vermont | ||||||||
There's lots of old Vermontish sights Which keep our eyes in tow; Which dog, as 'twere, our days and nights, From Simonsville to Stowe; Beneath whatever roof I step, As here and there I rove, I always look to find the poles Above the kitchen stove. Two great long spars on iron hooks, And right acrost 'em laid Two smaller onesnot much on looks And seldom "factory made;" I'm sure we shaved our own from spruce That grew in Gridley's grove, And there they hung, the last I knew, Above the Stewart stove. Each pole, it had two ends or more, The large as well as small, Four ends was towards the outside door, Four towards the "dining hall," And hats, caps, frocks and drying cloths Around them crossbars throve, Until it looked like Salem street Above the kitchen stove. We used to put the frames aboard On which was strung to dry The big pound sweets we'd pared and cored For applesass and pie: How good them fruity garlands smelt! Where'er my footprints rove, I look for apple on the poles Above the kitchen stove. I used up all the parts of speech A-wishing I could hang My cap 'way up there out of reach, The same as Slimmy Lang; He swore at me in Latin once And said, "By Magnus Jove! You'll have to grow to use the poles, Or stand upon the stove." The days the washing would a-froze Outdoors, instead of dried, We used to hang the colored clothes Upon the poles inside; 'Twas fun to see 'em hanging there, The different shades of mauve, It showed you that the place for poles Was 'bove the kitchen stove. If I should ever own a farm Up here in Old Vermont, It won't do any special harm To tell you what I'd want; Some ducks and squabs and Jersey cows, About a half a drove, But most of all a set of poles Above the kitchen stove. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ORATION: HALF-MOON IN VERMONT by NORMAN DUBIE THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S ANNUAL by NORMAN DUBIE THE CROWS AT 3 A.M. by STANLEY PLUMLY ALBANY BUS STATION by RUTH STONE FALL COMES IN BACK-COUNTRY VERMONT by ROBERT PENN WARREN A SNOW-STORM; SCENE IN A VERMONT WINTER by CHARLES GAMAGE EASTMAN A VERMONT 'DONATION' by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY A VERMONT 'DONATION' by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY |
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