Knee-Deep in June

Tell you what I like the best —

        'Long about knee-deep in June,

     'Bout the time strawberries melts

  On the vine, — some afternoon

Like to jes' git out and rest,

      And not work at nothin' else!

Orchard's where I'd ruther be —

Needn't fence it in fer me! —

  Jes' the whole sky overhead,

And the whole airth underneath —

Sort o' so's a man kin breathe

  Like he ort, and kind o' has

Elbow-room to keerlessly

  Sprawl out len'thways on the grass

     Where the shadders thick and soft

As the kivvers on the bed

     Mother fixes in the loft

Allus, when they's company!

Jes' a-sort o' lazin there -

  S'lazy, 'at you peek and peer

     Through the wavin' leaves above,

     Like a feller 'ats in love

  And don't know it, ner don't keer!

  Ever'thing you hear and see

     Got some sort o' interest -

     Maybe find a bluebird's nest

  Tucked up there conveenently

  Fer the boy 'at's ap' to be

  Up some other apple tree!

Watch the swallers skootin' past

Bout as peert as you could ast;

  Er the Bob-white raise and whiz

  Where some other's whistle is.

Ketch a shadder down below,

And look up to find the crow —

Er a hawk, - away up there,

'Pearantly froze in the air! —

  Hear the old hen squawk, and squat

  Over ever' chick she's got,

Suddent-like! - and she knows where

  That-air hawk is, well as you! —

  You jes' bet yer life she do! —

     Eyes a-glitterin' like glass,

     Waitin' till he makes a pass!

Pee-wees wingin', to express

  My opinion, 's second-class,

Yit you'll hear 'em more er less;

     Sapsucks gittin' down to biz,

Weedin' out the lonesomeness;

  Mr. Bluejay, full o' sass,

     In them baseball clothes o' his,

Sportin' round the orchad jes'

Like he owned the premises!

     Sun out in the fields kin sizz,

But flat on yer back, I guess,

     In the shade's where glory is!

That's jes' what I'd like to do

Stiddy fer a year er two!

Plague! Ef they ain't somepin' in

Work 'at kind o' goes ag'in'

  My convictions! - 'long about

     Here in June especially! —

     Under some ole apple tree,

        Jes' a-restin through and through,

  I could git along without

        Nothin' else at all to do

        Only jes' a-wishin' you

Wuz a-gittin' there like me,

And June wuz eternity!

Lay out there and try to see

Jes' how lazy you kin be! —

     Tumble round and souse yer head

In the clover-bloom, er pull

        Yer straw hat acrost yer eyes

        And peek through it at the skies,

     Thinkin' of old chums 'ats dead,

           Maybe, smilin' back at you

In betwixt the beautiful

           Clouds o'gold and white and blue! —

Month a man kin railly love —

June, you know, I'm talkin' of!

March ain't never nothin' new! —

April's altogether too

  Brash fer me! and May — I jes'

  'Bominate its promises, —

Little hints o' sunshine and

Green around the timber-land —

  A few blossoms, and a few

  Chip-birds, and a sprout er two, —

  Drap asleep, and it turns in

  Fore daylight and snows ag'in! —

But when June comes - Clear my th'oat

  With wild honey! — Rench my hair

In the dew! And hold my coat!

Whoop out loud! And th'ow my hat! —

  June wants me, and I'm to spare!

  Spread them shadders anywhere,

  I'll get down and waller there,

     And obleeged to you at that!