Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE LITTLE BLACKSMITH, by ALICE CARY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE LITTLE BLACKSMITH, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: We heard his hammer all day long
Last Line: He came to the gate to sing.
Subject(s): Blacksmiths


WE heard his hammer all day long
On the anvil ring and ring,
But he always came when the sun went down
To sit on the gate and sing.

His little hands so hard and brown
Crossed idly on his knee,
And straw hat lopping over cheeks
As red as they could be;

His blue and faded jacket trimmed
With signs of work, -- his feet
All bare and fair upon the grass,
He made a picture sweet.

For still his shoes, with iron shod,
On the smithy-wall he hung;
As forth he came when the sun went down,
And sat on the gate and sung.

The whistling rustic tending cows,
Would keep in pastures near,
And half the busy villagers
Lean from their doors to hear.

And from the time the bluebirds came
And made the hedges bright,
Until the stubble yellow grew,
He never missed a night.

The hammer's stroke on the anvil filled
His heart with a happy ring,
And that was why, when the sun went down,
He came to the gate to sing.





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