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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
VERMONT CHEESEMAKING, by DANIEL LEAVENS CADY Poet's Biography First Line: When white grass makes the pasture white Last Line: Your man is 'mazing fond of cheese. Subject(s): Cheese; Milk; United States; Vermont; Milkmen; Milkmaids; America | |||
WHEN white grass makes the pasture white, And butter needs a carrot tonic; When ragweed seed invades your head And bursts with noises disharmonic; When cows shrink up about a third, And neighbor children 'gin to tease For curd and paringsthen it's time To think about a-making cheese. And first you put your setting tub A-soak to see how fast it's leaking, When, Pop! the bottom hoop blows up And sets your sputterphone to speaking; A-next you get the runnet jar, And scour and scald it all you please Oh! yes; there's quite a lot to do To get in shape for making cheese. And then you drag the cheesepress out And wash it up in thirteen waters, And prop the platform where it stands Before the dumb contrivance totters; Then Johnny crawls 'way underneath Upon his anxious hands and knees, To find the stone that weights the pole That turns the press that shapes the cheese. The basket, followers, paddles, hoops, A-feel the scrub brush next in order, And some folks run a cheesecloth hem To hold the ravelings 'round the border; You then rescreen the cheese safe door, And make the button turn with ease Oh! it's a knack to get the hang Of fixing up for making cheese. You hunt the special table next On which to do the daily turning; 'Twill be a change from skimming milk And always and forever churning; And last you pick a bunch of sage, A-down there near the cherry trees, And find your little pointed knife, And then you're fixed for making cheese. Then when the cheeses come along, My! ain't it fun to pat and oil 'em; 'Most any other hands than yours Would have a tendency to spoil 'em; Each cheese a-setting on its board They beat the Neuchatels and Bries There's nothing more to do but hope Your man is 'mazing fond of cheese. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JULY FOURTH BY THE OCEAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS SHINE, PERISHING REPUBLIC by ROBINSON JEFFERS SHINE, PERISHING REPUBLIC by ROBINSON JEFFERS WATCH THE LIGHTS FADE by ROBINSON JEFFERS AFTER TENNYSON by AMBROSE BIERCE |
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