Explore "Agricultural Implements and Machinery" by James McIntyre on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Poor laborers they did sad bewail, / When the machine displaced the flail, / There's little work now with the hoes.
Since cultivators weed the rows.
Labor it became more fickle, / When the scythe took place of sickle, / Labor still it did sink lower, / By introduction of mower.
And the work was done much cheaper / When they added on the reaper, / Another machine to it they join, / Mower, reaper, binder, all combine.
Machines now load and stow away, / Both the barley and the hay, / And the farmers do get richer / With the loader and the pitcher.
There's very few men now hand sows, / No more broad cast the grain it grows, / They sow and rake by the machine, / Hand labor is 'mong the things have been.
Armed with scythes the old war chariot, / Cut men down in the fierce war riot, / Round farmers' chariot fall the slain, / But 'tis the sheaves of golden grain.