{
 "id": "james-mcintyre/dairy-ode",
 "title": "Dairy Ode",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "James McIntyre",
 "poet_slug": "james-mcintyre",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems of James McIntyre",
 "book_slug": "poems-of-james-mcintyre",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 20,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1889,
  "venue": "Poems of James McIntyre (1889)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/james-mcintyre_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_09542",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36068",
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 56,
  "n_stanzas": 14,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 44,
  "max_indent": 0
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "The sweet milkmaid of early days",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Her own household she ably sways,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And her daughters now milk the cows,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And her sons they now guide the plows.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "These pleasing changes on a farm",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Doth give to rural life a charm,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let occupation none upbraid,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But honor plowman and milkmaid.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "For Burns with glory did endow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And wove a garland round the plow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The source from which all wealth doth spring",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And happiness to all doth bring.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Our muse it doth refuse to sing",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of cheese made early in the spring,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When cows give milk from spring fodder",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You cannot make a good cheddar.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The quality is often vile",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of cheese that is made in April,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Therefore we think for that reason",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You should make later in the season.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Cheese making now you should delay",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Until about the first of May.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then cows do feed on grassy field",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And rich milk they abundant yield.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Ontario cannot compete",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With the Northwest in raising wheat,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For cheaper there they it can grow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So price in future may be low.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Though this a hardship it may seem,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Rejoice that you have got the cream,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In this land of milk and honey,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where dairy farmers do make money.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Utensils must be clean and sweet,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So cheese with first class can compete,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And daily polish up milk pans,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Take pains with vats and with milk cans.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And it is important matter",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To allow no stagnant water,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But water from pure well or stream",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The cow must drink to give pure cream.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Canadian breeds ’tis best to pair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With breeds from the shire of Ayr,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They thrive on our Canadian feed",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And are for milking splendid breed.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Though ’gainst spring cheese some do mutter,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Yet spring milk also makes bad butter,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then there doth arise the query",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "How utilize it in the dairy:",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The milk it floats in great spring flood",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Though it is not so rich and good,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let us be thankful for this stream",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of milk and also curds and cream.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "All dairymen their highest aims",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Should be to make the vale of Thames,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where milk doth so abundant flow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Dairyland of Ontario.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}