When the frost comes, thou art dead;
We along the stubble tread,
On blue, frozen morns, and note
No least murmur is afloat:
Wondrous still our fields are then,
Fifer of the elfin men!
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY
Why is the grasshopper called a "shuttle"? What does the word _still_
mean here? Who are the "elfin clan"? By whom is the sheaf tenanted? What
is a _reveille_? Does the grasshopper chirp at night? Why is its cry
called "gainsaying"?
See how simple the meter (measure) is in this little poem. Ask your
teacher to explain how it is represented by these characters:
-u-u-u-
-u-u-u-
[Transcriber's note: The u's represent breve marks in the text]
Note which signs indicate the accented syllables. See whether or not the
accent comes at the end of the line. The rhyme-scheme is called a
_couplet_, because of the way in which two lines are linked together.
This kind of rhyme is represented by _aa_, _bb_, _cc_, etc.
EXERCISES
Find some other poem that has the same meter and rhyme that this one
has. Try to write a short poem of five or six couplets, using this meter
and rhyme. You do not need to choose a highly poetic subject: Try
something very simple.
Perhaps you can "get a start" from one of the lines given below:--
1. Glowing, darting dragon-fly.
2. Voyager on dusty wings (A Moth).
3. Buzzing through the fragrant air (A Bee).
4. Trembling lurker in the gloom (A Mouse).
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