Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Poem
July 9, 1869
Oxford Democrat
Paris, South Paris, Oxford County, Maine
What is this article about?
A fable in verse about two clouds: a large, arrogant one that thunders boastfully and dissipates uselessly at sea, and a small, modest one whose tears bring life-giving rain to parched lands, ensuring a bountiful harvest. Draws parallels to boastful and quietly charitable people.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Poetry
A FABLE OF CLOUD-LAND.
BY ALICE CARY.
Two clouds in the early morning
Came sailing up the sky—
'Twas summer, and the meadow-lands
Were brown and baked and dry.
And the higher cloud was large and black,
And of a scornful mind,
And he sailed as though he turned his back
On the smaller one behind
At length, in a voice of thunder,
He said to his mate so small,
"If I wasn't a bigger cloud than yon,
I wouldn't be one at all!"
And the little cloud that held her peace
So low along the sky,
Grew red, then purple, in the face,
And then she began to cry.
And the great cloud thundered out again
As loud as loud could be
"Lag lowly still, and cry if you will,
I'm going to go to sea!
"The land don't give me back a smile,
I will leave it to the sun,
And will show you something worth your while
Before the day is done!"
So off he ran, without a stop,
Upon his sea voyage bent,
And he never shed a single drop
On the dry land as he went
And directly came a rumble
Along the air so dim;
And then a crash, and then a dash,
And the sea had swallowed him!
"I don't make any stir at all,"
Said the little cloud, with a sigh.
And her tears began like rain to fall
On the meadows parched and dry.
And over the rye and the barley
They fell and fell all day.
And soft and sweet on the fields of wheat
Till she wept her heart away
And the bean-flowers and the buckwheat
They scented all the air.
And in the time of the harvest
There was bread enough and to spare.
I know a man like that great cloud
As much as he can live,
And he gives his alms with thunder-cloud
Where there is no need to give
And I know a woman who doth keep
Where praise comes not at all,
Like the modest cloud that could but weep
Because she was so small
The name of the one the poor will bless
When her day shall cease to be,
And the other will fall as profitless
As the cloud did in the sea.
A FABLE OF CLOUD-LAND.
BY ALICE CARY.
Two clouds in the early morning
Came sailing up the sky—
'Twas summer, and the meadow-lands
Were brown and baked and dry.
And the higher cloud was large and black,
And of a scornful mind,
And he sailed as though he turned his back
On the smaller one behind
At length, in a voice of thunder,
He said to his mate so small,
"If I wasn't a bigger cloud than yon,
I wouldn't be one at all!"
And the little cloud that held her peace
So low along the sky,
Grew red, then purple, in the face,
And then she began to cry.
And the great cloud thundered out again
As loud as loud could be
"Lag lowly still, and cry if you will,
I'm going to go to sea!
"The land don't give me back a smile,
I will leave it to the sun,
And will show you something worth your while
Before the day is done!"
So off he ran, without a stop,
Upon his sea voyage bent,
And he never shed a single drop
On the dry land as he went
And directly came a rumble
Along the air so dim;
And then a crash, and then a dash,
And the sea had swallowed him!
"I don't make any stir at all,"
Said the little cloud, with a sigh.
And her tears began like rain to fall
On the meadows parched and dry.
And over the rye and the barley
They fell and fell all day.
And soft and sweet on the fields of wheat
Till she wept her heart away
And the bean-flowers and the buckwheat
They scented all the air.
And in the time of the harvest
There was bread enough and to spare.
I know a man like that great cloud
As much as he can live,
And he gives his alms with thunder-cloud
Where there is no need to give
And I know a woman who doth keep
Where praise comes not at all,
Like the modest cloud that could but weep
Because she was so small
The name of the one the poor will bless
When her day shall cease to be,
And the other will fall as profitless
As the cloud did in the sea.
What sub-type of article is it?
Ballad
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Cloud Fable
Moral Charity
Boastful Giving
Modest Rain
Harvest Abundance
Thunder Cloud
Drought Relief
What entities or persons were involved?
By Alice Cary.
Poem Details
Title
A Fable Of Cloud Land.
Author
By Alice Cary.
Subject
Fable Of Clouds And Charity
Form / Style
Rhymed Narrative Verse
Key Lines
If I Wasn't A Bigger Cloud Than Yon, I Wouldn't Be One At All!
Lag Lowly Still, And Cry If You Will, I'm Going To Go To Sea!
I Know A Man Like That Great Cloud As Much As He Can Live, And He Gives His Alms With Thunder Cloud Where There Is No Need To Give
And I Know A Woman Who Doth Keep Where Praise Comes Not At All, Like The Modest Cloud That Could But Weep Because She Was So Small
The Name Of The One The Poor Will Bless When Her Day Shall Cease To Be, And The Other Will Fall As Profitless As The Cloud Did In The Sea.