Lyrical Ballads With Other Poems V2 (1800) (Hardcover)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LAST OF THE FLOCK. In distant countries I have been; And yet I have not often seen A healthy Man, a Man full grown, Weep in the public roads alone. But such a one, on English ground, And in the broad high-way, I met; Along the broad high-way he came, His cheeks with tears were wet. Sturdy he seemed, though he was sad; And in his arms a Lamb he had. He saw me, and he turned nside As if he wished himself to hide: Then with his coat he made essay To wipe those briny tears away. I followed him, and said, " My Friend " What ails you ? wherefore weep you so ? ?" Shame on me, Sir ! this lusty Lamb, He makes my tears to flow. To-day I fetched him from the rock; He is the last of all my flock. When I was young, a single Man, And after youthful follies ran, Though little given to care and thought, Yet, so it was, a Ewe I bought; And other sheep from her I raised, As healthy -sheep as you might see; And then I married, and was rich As I could wish to be; ' - t Of sheep I numbered a full score, And every year increased my'store. Year after year my stock it grew. And from this one, this single Ewe, Full fifty comely sheep I raised, As sweet a flock as ever grazed ! Upon the mountain did they feed, They throve, and we at home did thrive. ?This lusty Lamb" of all my store Is all that is alive; And now I care not if we die, And perish all of poverty. Six Children, Sir ! had I to feed, Hard labour in a time of need ! My pride was tamed, and in our grief, I of the Parish ask'd relief. They said I was a wealthy man; My sheep upon the mountain fed, And it was fit that thence I took Whereof to buy us bread: " " Do this; how can we give to you," They cried, " what to the poor is due...