Whippoorwill Time

Let down the bars; drive in the cows:     The west is barred with burning rose.     Unhitch the horses from the ploughs,     And from the cart the ox that lows,     And light the lamp within the house:     The whippoorwill is calling,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill,"     Where the locust blooms are falling     On the hill;     The sunset's rose is dying,     And the whippoorwill is crying,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill";     Soft, now shrill,     The whippoorwill is crying,     "Whippoorwill."     Unloose the watch-dog from his chain:     The first stars wink their drowsy eyes:     A sheep-bell tinkles in the lane,     And where the shadow deepest lies     A lamp makes bright the window-pane:     The whippoorwill is calling,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill,"     Where the berry-blooms are falling     On the rill;     The first faint stars are springing,     And the whippoorwill is singing,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill";     Softly still     The whippoorwill is singing,     "Whippoorwill."     The cows are milked; the cattle fed;     The last far streaks of evening fade:     The farm-hand whistles in the shed,     And in the house the table's laid;     Its lamp streams on the garden-bed:     The whippoorwill is calling,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill,"     Where the dogwood blooms are falling     On the hill;     The afterglow is waning     And the whippoorwill's complaining,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill";     Wild and shrill,     The whippoorwill's complaining,     "Whippoorwill."     The moon blooms out, a great white rose;     The stars wheel onward toward the west:     The barnyard-cock wakes once and crows;     The farm is wrapped in peaceful rest;     The cricket chirs; the firefly glows     The whippoorwill is calling,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill,"     Where the bramble-blooms are falling     On the rill;     The moon her watch is keeping     And the whippoorwill is weeping,     "Whippoorwill, whippoorwill";     Lonely still,     The whippoorwill is weeping,     "Whippoorwill."