All day low clouds and slanting rain
Have swept the woods and dimmed the plain.
Wet winds have swayed the birch and oak,
And caught and swirled away the smoke,
But, all day long, the wooden clock
Went on, Nic-noc, nic-noc.
When deep at night I wake with fear,
And shudder in the dark to hear
The roaring storm’s unguided strength,
Peace steals into my heart at length,
When, calm amid the shout and shock,
I hear, Nic-noc, nic-noc.
And all the winter long ‘t is I
Who bless its sheer monotony —
Its scorn of days, which cares no whit
For time, except to measure it:
The prosy, dozy, cosy clock,
Nic-noc, nic-noc, nic-noc!
(John Charles McNeill)
More Poetry from John Charles McNeill:
John Charles McNeill Poems based on Topics: War & Peace, Time, Night, Winter, Fear- "97": The Fast Mail (John Charles McNeill Poems)
- A Caged Mocking-Bird (John Charles McNeill Poems)
- On the Cape Fear (John Charles McNeill Poems)
- Alcestis (John Charles McNeill Poems)
- Old Spring Hill (John Charles McNeill Poems)
- Away Down Home (John Charles McNeill Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Night Poems, Time Poems, War & Peace Poems, Fear Poems, Winter PoemsBased on Keywords: prosy, unguided, dozy