Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PAT OF BUTTER by THOMAS HARDY

Poet Analysis

First Line: ONCE, AT THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW
Last Line: "AND, ""THIS IS THE BEST,"" I CRIED."
ONCE, at the Agricultural Show,
We tasted -- all so yellow --
Those butter-pats, cool and mellow!
Each taste I still remember, though
It was so long ago.

This spoke of the grass of Netherhay,
And this of Kingcomb Hill,
And this of Coker Rill:
Which was the prime I could not say
Of all those tried that day,

Till she, the fair and wicked-eyed,
Held out a pat to me:
Then felt I all Yeo-Lea
Was by her sample sheer outvied;
And, "This is the best," I cried.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net