HYMN TO THE DAIRYMAIDS ON BEACON STREET

by: Christopher Morley (1890-1957)

WEETLY solemn see them stand,

Spinning churns on either hand,

Neatly capped and aproned white

Airy fairy dairy sight.

Jersey priestesses they seem

Miracling milk to cream.

 

Cream solidifies to cheese

By Pasteural mysteries,

And they give, within their shrine,

Their communión in kine.

 

Incantations pure they mutter

O'er the golden minted butter

And (no layman hand can pen it)

See them gloat above their rennet.

 

By that hillside window pane

Rugged teamsters draw the rein.

Doff the battered hat and bow

To these acolytes of cow.

 

Genuflect, ye passersby!

Muse upon their ritual high--

Milk to cream, yea, cream to cheese

White lacteal mysteries!

Let adorers sing the word

Of the smoothly flowing curd.

Yea, we sing with bells and fife

This is the whey, this is the Life.

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