Good friends, let's to the fields--I have a fever. After a little walk, and by your pardon, I think I'll sleep. There is no sweeter thing, Nor fate more blessed than to sleep. Here, world, I pass you like an orange to a child: I can no more with you. Do what you will. What should my care be when I have no power To save, guide, mould you? Naughty world you need me As little as I need you: go your way! Tyrants shall rise and slaughter fill the earth, But I shall sleep. In wars and wars and wars The ever-replenished youth of earth shall shriek And clap their gushing wounds--but I shall sleep, Nor earthy thunder wake me when the cannon Shall shake the throne of Tartarus. Orators Shall fulmine over London or America Of rights eternal, parchments, sacred charters And cut each others' throats when reason fails-- But I shall sleep. This globe may last and breed The race of men till Time cries out "How long?" But I shall sleep ten thousand thousand years. I am a dream, Ben, out of a blessed sleep-- Let's walk and hear the lark. SWEET CLOVER Only a few plants up--and not a blossom My clover didn't catch. What is the matter? Old John comes by. I show him my result. Look, John! My clover patch is just a failure, I wanted you to sow it. Now you see What comes of letting Hunter do your work. The ground was not plowed right, or disced perhaps, Or harrowed fine enough, or too little seed Was sown. But John, who knows a clover field, Pulls up a plant and cleans the roots of soil And studies them. He says, Look at the roots! Hunter neglected to inoculate The seed, for clover seed must always have Clover bacteria to make it grow, And blossom. In a thrifty field of clover The roots are studded thick with tubercles, Like little warts, made by bacteria. And somehow these bacteria lay hold Upon the nitrogen that fills the soil, And make the plants grow, make them blossom too. When Hunter sowed this field he was not well: He should have hauled some top-soil to this field From some old clover field, or made a culture Of these bacteria and soaked the seed In it before he sowed it.