Barn, Homestead of Charles Benton and Louise Mitteer Ratcliff, abt. 1910
Hurleyville, Sullivan County, New York
MORNING ON THE FARM
Its morning on the farm,
The day begins to break;
The creatures of the farm world
Are everywhere awake.
The roosters from their perches,
Now near, now far away;
Their challenges repeat
To greet the coming day.
A thousand little birds
Are singing in the trees:
Our friendly robin redbreast
Is loudest of all these.
A plaintive phoebe’s call
Is heard among the songs
Of many feathered songsters,
As she her note prolongs.
A mournful cuckoo adds
A doleful sweet “oo-OO”
And sparrows chatter loudly
As days comes on anew.
A cow in distant pasture
Is lowing now and then;
And slowly from their dwellings
Come forth the world of men.
The milk pails in the milk house
Give out a cheery sound,
And noises from the big barns
Betray someone’s around.
And early in the morning
I come my Lord to thee.
I ask, O Lord, that thou
Will dwell today in me.
Photo Above: Source – Personal photo collection of B.J. Johanningmeier