Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FARMER WHO MADE HIS OWN WEATHER, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FARMER WHO MADE HIS OWN WEATHER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Once on a time, lafontaine writes
Last Line: And deemed himself more wise than jove.
Subject(s): Weather


ONCE on a time, Lafontaine writes,
Jove, sitting on th' Olympain heights,
Called nimble Mercury to his side,
And bade him publish, far and wide,
"A farm to let!" Whereat he flies
Through all the world to advertise
"The finest farm that can be found
For fifty thousand miles around;
To let -- on terms quite sure to please
Whoe'er may wish to take the lease!"
Then came the farmers thick and fast
To see the land, -- which far surpassed
Their brightest hopes; but in a trice
All fell to higgling at the price.
One said the soil was thin and poor;
Another, that it lacked manure;
And still another man made bold
To say the land was sour and cold;
Each finding fault, with shrewd intent
To cheapen what he wished to rent.
At length, when all had said their say,
And some began to go away,
One, who as yet had held his peace,
Proposed at once to take the lease,
Provided Jove would give him power
O'er cold and heat, o'er sun and shower;
In brief -- to sum it all together --
The power to regulate the weather!
'T is granted! So, by Jove's command,
The joyful tenant takes the land.
He rains or shines, makes cold or warm
Brings down the dew, averts the storm
Rules, at his will, the wind that blows,
And regulates the winter's snows.
In short, within the narrow range
Of his own acres, makes the change
Of seasons through the varied year.
Alas! the gift proves all too dear!
For, while the farmer sees with pain
His neighbors' lands are rich in grain,
And all that genial Nature yields
In thrifty herds and fruitful fields,
His own, despite his anxious toil,
Proves, at the best, ungrateful soil,
That brings him naught but discontent,
Without a sou to pay the rent.
What could he do? -- he cannot pay;
And so the man was fain to pray
To be forgiven; with shame confessed
His folly, -- who essayed to test
The Power divine that rules above,
And deemed himself more wise than Jove.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net