The Village Oracle

The Village Oracle
84-1

Beneath the weather-Lenten porch
That shades the village store
He sits at care, an aged man
Of three-score years or more
That ample seat for him is placed
Beside the opell door,

His face is very keen and shrewd,
And piercing are his tyes,
As with an air of prophecy
He seans the cloudy skles,
And children look with awe on him,
For he is weatherwise

And jolly farmers riding by
On fregrant londs of hay,
Call out, “Good morning Cacle Dan,”
And Will it rain today?”
While boys who would a-fishing go
Await what he will say

“Wal, if the wind should change about,”
They listen eagerly
But he is very slow and calm
For thus should prophets be) ”
Mebbe them clouds will bring us rein
But I dunno,” says he

And ever as the seasons come
And as the sinsons go,
The Oracle is asked the signs
Of wind, or rula, or snow,
But still he never hesitates
To answer: “I cunto