MyFatherWasAFarmer

myfatherwasafarmer

tune—“theweaverandhisshuttle,o.”

myfatherwasafarmeruponthecarrickborder,o,

andcarefullyhebredmeindecencyandorder,o;

hebademeactamanlypart,thoughihadne'erafarthing,o;

forwithoutanhonestmanlyheart,nomanwasworthregarding,o.

thenoutintotheworldmycourseididdetermine,o;

tho'toberichwasnotmywish,yettobegreatwascharming,o;

mytalentstheywerenottheworst,noryetmyeducation,o:

resolv'dwasiatleasttotrytomendmysituation,o.

inmanyaway,andvainessay,icourtedfortune'sfavour,o;

somecauseunseenstillsteptbetween,tofrustrateeachendeavour,o;

sometimesbyfoesiwaso'erpower'd,sometimesbyfriendsforsaken,o;

andwhenmyhopewasatthetop,istillwasworstmistaken,o.

thensoreharass'dandtir'datlast,withfortune'svaindelusion,o,

idroptmyschemes,likeidledreams,andcametothisconclusion,o;

thepastwasbad,andthefuturehid,itsgoodorilluntried,o;

butthepresenthourwasinmypow'r,andsoiwouldenjoyit,o.

nohelp,norhope,norviewhadi,norpersontobefriendme,o;

soimusttoil,andsweat,andmoil,andlabourtosustainme,o;

toploughandsow,toreapandmow,myfatherbredmeearly,o;

forone,hesaid,tolabourbred,wasamatchforfortunefairly,o.

thusallobscure,unknown,andpoor,thro'lifei'mdoom'dtowander,o,

tilldownmywearybonesilayineverlastingslumber,o:

noviewnorcare,butshunwhate'ermightbreedmepainorsorrow,o;

iliveto-dayaswell'simay,regardlessofto-morrow,o.

butcheerfulstill,iamaswellasamonarchinhispalace,o,

tho'fortune'sfrownstillhuntsmedown,withallherwontedmalice,o:

imakeindeedmydailybread,butne'ercanmakeitfarther,o:

butasdailybreadisallineed,idonotmuchregardher,o.

whensometimesbymylabour,iearnalittlemoney,o,

someunforeseenmisfortunecomesgen'rallyuponme,o;

mischance,mistake,orbyneglect,ormygoodnatur'dfolly,o:

butcomewhatwill,i'veswornitstill,i'llne'erbemelancholy,o.

allyouwhofollowwealthandpowerwithunremittingardour,o,

themoreinthisyoulookforbliss,youleaveyourviewthefarther,o:

hadyouthewealthpotosiboasts,ornationstoadoreyou,o,

acheerfulhonest-heartedclowniwillpreferbeforeyou,o.