Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BAKER'S VAN, by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BAKER'S VAN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Village children shouted shrill
Last Line: Was still in a brown study seen.
Alternate Author Name(s): Blunden, Edmund
Subject(s): Bakeries & Bakers; England; Landscape; English


VILLAGE children shouted shrill,
"What ch'er, Baker!" "Way up, Will!"
As I passed he stopped his van
To tell me, "Your luck's in, old man.

"I was nothing but a fool
When I left your father's school;
He said many and many a time
If I wanted, I could climb.

"He said, he'd not had one more quick
At history and arithmetic,
He framed my drawings for the wall,
An oak leaf and a cricket ball.

"But my dad, you know, was stiff,
And laughed and huffed -- There's always If:
There's none of us been scholars yet,
There's honest work for us to get.

"So here I am; and there are you,
Always starting something new;
They tell me, if you shine this way,
It's college for you some fine day.

"Good boy!" He sighed; and called his horse,
And drove upon his daily course,
And when he called at Golden Green
Was still in a brown study seen.





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