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!

James Whitcomb Riley

Index to poems in the collection by James Whitcomb Riley