Sunday, October 3, 2010

SCENIC SUNDAYS: The Farm


THE FARM
By Alice P. Dorland

Among your childhood memories
Is there a farm?
And on this farm a wondrous barn,
Sweet, vast, and dusty dim,
With pigeons murmuring in the lofty cuppola
And moted sunlight filtering through the chinks?

Our childhood barn had hand-hewn beams
Festooned with wisps of hay,
And in their corners spiders spun their webs.
Remember how we children walked those beams
And dared each other jump from this high one or that
To fragrant slippery hay below
Where kittens were at play?

Remember the old shepherd dog
That helped round up the cows each day,
And how they marched into the barn,
Each to her accustomed stall?

I still hear the soft, padded sound
Their hooves made on the wooden floor;
Their tossing heads and swooshing tails,
The sound of milk hitting the pails...
Remember its sweet smell.

Remember the young calves at play,
That let us pat their heads
And rub the knobbly little bumps
That would be horns someday?
Remember their inquiring eyes,
Their rough pink tongues,
Their soft brown fur?

The kindly stalwart horses, too,
Were our good friends.
I feel, again, old Prince's velvet lips
As he took apples from my little palm.

Of all my childhood memories
The carefree days upon the farm
Remain the happiest!


5 comments:

Meadowbrook Cabin Primitives said...

....Thanks for the memories...

oh, how I remember almost every line in that verse, except for the horses.

I can't believe we didn't break our legs while jumping into the hay mound below from the loft.

I do remember the springhouse and drinking water from the trough with a dipper. The best water I have ever tasted in my lifetime.

Hugs,
Linda

Mama Z's said...

Beautiful! I love barns...they make me think of my Grandpa. Have a great day!

Cher' Shots said...

When I was young I lived on a farm - the same farm my Mom still lives on today. The barn still stands and now holds numerous wonderful memories instead of animals.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Joni, your recent photos are breathtakingly beautiful! So much wonder to feast upon and bless God's name for it all.
There are several farms and barns in my child hood and now that I've Thistle Cove Farm, my eyes are overwhelmed daily.

Katie@LeBeauPaonVictorien said...

Beautiful! This brings back many memories of both of my grandparents' farms!