ODE TO THE SUN.

Southland Times, Issue 989, 20 July 1868, Page 3

ODE TO THE SUN.

Hail, owe! friend ! aw'm fain to see tliee : Whecr liiis t' bin so rnony days ? Lots o' times aw'fc looted up for tliee, "Within' aw could see thi face. TU' little chiidre, reawnd abeawt liero, i^ny they wonder wheer tha'rt gone; An' they wanton me to ax tliee 1" shew thisel' as oft as t' con. Come an' see us every inornin' ; Gome, those droopin' spirits cheer ; Poop thro' every cottage window j Tha'll be welcome everywheer, Show thisel' i' o' thi splendour ; Throw that gloomy veil aside ; What does t' ureep to th' back o th' clawds for ? Tha's no fauts nor nowt to hide. Flashy clooas an' bits o' foinery Help to mend sich loike as me : Veils improve some women's faces, i But owd friend, they'll noan mend thee. i Things deawn here 'at we con pratty, I Soon begin to spoil an' f*le ; But tha still keeps up thy polish, Tha'rt as breet as when new made. Tha wur theer when th' hosts o' heaven Sweetly sang their mornin' song ; I But tha looks as young as ever, Tho' tha's bin up theer so long. An' for ages tha's been shinin' — Smilin' o' this world o' eawers ; Blessin' everythin' tha looks on — Mackin' th' fruit grow, opening the fleawers. It wur thee 'at Adam looked on, When i' th' garden bi hisel' ; An' tha smoiled upon his labor — Hapen helped kirn —whoa can tell ? , It wur thee 'at Joshua spoke to, On his way to th' promised land ; When, as th, good owd Bible tells us, Theaw obeyed his strange command. Tha'll ha' seen some curious antics Played deawn here bi th' human race j Some tha couldn't bear to look on' For tha shawmed an' hid thi face. Mony o toime aw saw thee blushin', When tlia'rt leavin' us at neet ; An' no wonder, for tha's noticed Things wen done 'at's noan bin reet. After o' tha comes to own us, Tho' we do so mich 'at's wrong ; Even neaw lhu'rt shinin' breetly, Helpin' me to write this song. Heaw refreshin' ! heaw revivin' ! Stay as long as ever t' con ; We shall noan feel hawve as happy, Hawve as leetsome when tha'rt gone. Oh ! for th' sake o' foalk at's poorly, Come an' cheer us wi' thi rays ; We forgotten 'at we ail owt When we see thy dear owd face. Every mornin' when it's gloomy Lots o' foalk are seen abeawt — Some at th' door-steps, some at th' windows — Watchin' for thee peepin' eawt. SAMUEL IiAYCOCK.