| Summer Evening |
| The day's grown old, the fainting sun Has but a little way to run; And yet his steeds, with all his skill, Scarce lug the chariot down the hill. The shadows now so long do grow That brambles like tall cedar show; Mole-hills sem nountains, and the ant Appears a monstous elephamt. A very little little flock Shades thrice the ground that is would stick; Whilst the small stripling following them Appears a mightly Polypyeme. These being brought into the fold, And by the thrifty master told, he thinks his wages are well paid Since non are either lost or strayed. The hedge is tripped, the clothes brought in; Naught's left without that should be in. The bees are hived and hum their charm, Whilst every house does seem a swarm. The cock now to the roost is pressed: For he must call up all the rest. The sow's fast pegged within the sty To still hier squeaking progeny. Each one has had his supping mess: The cheese is put into the press; The pans and bowls, clean scalded all, Reared up against the mil-house wall. And now the benches all are sat In the cool air to sit and chat Till Phoebus, dipping in the west, Shall lead the world the way to rest. -Charles Cotton- 1630-1687 |
| This poem talks about now after a long and hard summer day, everyone slows down and prepares to enjoy the summer evening: " And now on benches all are sat/ In the cool air to sit and chat" (ll.29-30). All the animals return to their homes and get ready for the night fall: "the sow fast pegged within the sty/ To still her squeaking progeny" (ll.23-24). As the sun starts to dip further west, the day's light becomes dimmer and it is a sign for people to go home: "The day's grown old, the fainting sun/ Has but a little way to run;/ And yet his steeds, with all his skill,/ Scarce lug the chariot down the hill" (ll.1-4). Once the sun has gone, it will be time for people to get their rest: "Till Pheobus, dipping in the west,/ Shall lead the world the way to rest" (ll.31-32). The roosters will be resting early in the evening, for they have the job to wake up everyone else: "The cock now to the roost is pressed:/ For he must call up all the rest" (ll.21-22). The poet uses similies and metaphors to exagerate things so that people can see what he means. "The shadows noew so long do grew/ That branbles like tall cedars show;" (ll.5-6): The wild thorny shrubs shadows are so long in the summer evening that they look like cedars. "Whilst every house does seem a swarm" (l.20): With everyone gathered in the house, it makes the houses seem very crowded. I really enjoyed reading this poem because it talks about how after a long day, everyone slows down and enjoys the end of the day: "And now all the benches are all sat/ In the cool air to sit and chat" (ll.29-30). As a grow older, I notice that I have less and less time to myself and there is always something that I have to do. I remember when I was younger, I would be able to do almost anything i wanted, but now I don't have the time. So really envy the people in the poem, to be able to just enjoy the day without having to worry about that they left something undone. |