I knew a man, a common farmer, the father 
   of five sons,
 And in them the fathers of sons, and in 
   them the fathers of sons.

This man was of wonderful vigor, calmness,
   beauty of person,
 The shape of his head, the pale yellow and
   white of his hair and beard, the
   immeasurable meaning of his black eyes,
   the richness and breadth of his manners,
 These I used to go and visit him to see, he 
   was wise also,
 He was six feet tall, he was over eighty years
   old, his sons were massive, clean, 
   bearded, tan-faced, handsome,
 They and his daughters loved him, all who
   saw him loved him,
 They did not love him by allowance, they
   loved him with personal love,
 He drank water only, the blood show'd like
   scarlet through the clear-brown skin of 
   his face,
 He was a frequent gunner and fisher, he
   sail'd his boat himself, he had a fine one
   presented to him by a ship-joiner, he had
   fowling-pieces presented to him by men
   that loved him,
 When he went with his five sons and many
   grand-sons to hunt or fish, you would
   pick him out as the most beautiful and 
   vigorous of the gang,
 You would wish long and long to be with
   him, you would wish to sit by him in the 
   boat that you and he might touch each
   other.