Dreams entered in my brain of fields and woods, A little lake perhaps, river or stream. There was a fad of buying farms just then. I went to Michigan on other business, And there I saw one, bought it on the spot. You see I had the passion as of drink, And knew it as I ventured once again. But then there was the house upon the bluff! And there below it was the river! there Beeches and oaks down to the river’s edge! A great white house all new, and apple trees, A vineyard and a field of eighty acres. Here will I sit, I said, upon my bluff And watch the river. I will keep a man To farm the place, and prune the vines and trees, This is the place at last. But then I thought What will she say? She wants a farm I know, But will this suit her? So I sent for her. And when she came she kissed me, she was glad, Commended my good judgment, loved the house, Went through the barn in rapture, stood beneath The windmill, which was near, to watch it pump. Strolled down the wooded bluff, threw pebbles in The river where the swallows dipped and flew, And gathered daisies by the river’s shore. I sat down in the grass flushed through with joy, Like one who finds his haven, who has solved Laborious troubles, thinking of the rest I should take here--a man to run the place, And months of summer recreation here! I told her what my plan was. No, she said, To own a farm is business. You should know By this time that you have no head for business. I think you’ve shown some wisdom in this farm, Or better you’ve had luck in buying it. Your other ventures buying houses were Enough to make you have distrust of self. Now that you’ve bought the farm to make it pay Is what we have in hand, and you must work. We’ll keep a man, but he cannot do all There is to do here, I will work and you Must work as well, the farm must pay, you know. I want the man to live with us in the house So I can watch him, rout him out to work At sun-up and keep watch upon his time. We’ll keep two rooms for our use. For the man Must have a family, these single fellows Are off too much at night and think too much In working hours of what they’ll do at night.