From the soft dyke-road, crooked and wagon-worn,
Comes the great load of rustling scented hay,
Slow-drawn with heavy swing and creaky sway,
Through the cool freshness of the windless morn.
The oxen, yoked and sturdy, horn to horn,
Sharing the rest and toil of night and day,
Bend head and neck to the long hilly way,
By many a season’s labour marked and torn.
On the broad sea of dyke, the gathering heat
Waves upward from the grass, where road on road
Is swept before the tramping of the teams.
And while the oxen rest beside the sweet
New hay, the loft receives the early load,
With hissing stir, among the dusty beams.
(John Frederic Herbin)
More Poetry from John Frederic Herbin:
John Frederic Herbin Poems based on Topics: Night- Aftermath (John Frederic Herbin Poems)
- The Sea Harvest (John Frederic Herbin Poems)
- The Returned Acadian (John Frederic Herbin Poems)
- In the Rain (John Frederic Herbin Poems)
- Aftermath - Sonnet (John Frederic Herbin Poems)
- Scowing (John Frederic Herbin Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Night PoemsBased on Keywords: creaky, slow-drawn, dyke-road