Short and sweet. This was always Doug's request. I found a couple of versions of this oldie but goody. Grandma's version was, as I recall told in first person, but it included the line about the brown eyes, and I think it ended with the line, "our family's Jersey cow." So neither of these is exactly right, but they will do, I think.
The Jersey Cow -- Version 1
We walked in the lane together;
The sky was covered with stars.
We reached the gate in silence
As I lifted down the bars.
She neither smiled nor thanked me
Because she knew not how
For I was only a Farmer's Boy
And she was a Jersey Cow.
The Jersey Cow -- Version 2
They strolled the lane together;
The sky was studded with stars.
They reached the gate in silence;
He lifted for her the bars.
She raised her brown eyes to him,
There was nothing between them now
For he was just a farmers boy
And she, a Jersey Cow.
They walked the lane together, her eyes were soft and brown. They walked and walked 'til they came to the gate where for her he lifted the bar. She turned her soft eyes towards him, but there's nothing between them now..for he was a farmer's hired man and she was a jersey cow. (This was a song my grandmother sang to me during my childhood. Grandma was born in 1912
ReplyDeleteI first saw this poem when reading through Mother's journal from when she was a teenager. She had clipped it from a newspaper. I don't know what happened to the journal, but have always remembered the poem for some reason. I have tried to find the poem, but never any luck until today. Thank you, thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteThey strolled the paths together
ReplyDeleteThe sky was flooded with stars
And when they reached the pasture gate
He lifted for her the bars
She rolled her brown eyes toward him
There's nothing between them now
For he was just a hired man,
and she a jersey cow
Almost brings a tear, remember those days
ReplyDeleteThey strolled the lane together
ReplyDeleteThe sky was studded with stars
They reached the gate in silence
And for her he lifted the bar
She rolled her brown eyes to him
There was nothing between them now
For he was just a hired hand and she a Guernsey cow
My great Aunt use to recite Version 2 to me when we were walking home on dark roads. So I wouldn't be scared.
ReplyDelete