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The Vixen

By John Clare

Topics: classic

Among the taller wood with ivy hung,     The old fox plays and dances round her young.     She snuffs and barks if any passes bye     And swings her tail and turns prepared to fly.     The horseman hurries bye, she bolts to see,     And turns agen, from danger never free.     If any stands she runs among the poles     And barks and snaps and drives them in the holes.     The shepherd sees them and the boy goes bye     And gets a stick and progs the hole to try.     They get all still and lie in safety sure     And out again when every thing's secure     And start and snap at blackbirds bouncing bye     To fight and catch the great white butterfly.

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"Among the taller wood with ivy hung,..."

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Author:John Clare

"Among the taller wood with ivy hung,..." by John Clare

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

John Clare

About John Clare

John Clare (1793–1864) was an English poet known as the "peasant poet" for his humble origins. His nature poetry—including "I Am" and "Badger"—captures the English countryside with extraordinary precision and emotional honesty, and he is now recognized as one of the finest nature poets in the language.

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