Dear brother robin this comes from us all <br />With our kind love and could Gip write and all <br />Though but a dog he'd have his love to spare <br />For still he knows and by your corner chair <br />The moment he comes in he lyes him down <br />and seems to fancy you are in the town. <br />This leaves us well in health thank God for that <br />For old acquaintance Sue has kept your hat <br />Which mother brushes ere she lays it bye <br />and every sunday goes upstairs to cry <br />Jane still is yours till you come back agen <br />and neer so much as dances with the men <br />and ned the woodman every week comes in <br />and asks about you kindly as our kin <br />and he with this and goody Thompson sends <br />Remembrances with those of all our friends <br />Father with us sends love untill he hears <br />and mother she has nothing but her tears <br />Yet wishes you like us in health the same <br />and longs to see a letter with your name <br />So loving brother don't forget to write <br />Old Gip lies on the hearth stone every night <br />Mother can't bear to turn him out of doors <br />and never noises now of dirty floors <br />Father will laugh but lets her have her way <br />and Gip for kindness get a double pay <br />So Robin write and let us quickly see <br />You don't forget old friends no more than we <br />Nor let my mother have so much to blame <br />To go three journeys ere your letter came.<br /><br />John Clare<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/country-letter/
