A faded Boy—in sallow Clothes
Who drove a lonesome Cow
To pastures of Oblivion—
A statesman’s Embryo—
The Boys that whistled are extinct—
The Cows that fed and thanked
Remanded to a Ballad’s Barn
Or Clover’s Retrospect—
A faded Boy—in sallow Clothes
Summary
"A faded Boy—in sallow Clothes" is a short poem by Emily Dickinson that follows a pale, threadbare cowherd driving his lonesome cow toward the pastures of Oblivion. In just two stanzas, the boy is revealed as a statesman's embryo, a future that never arrives. The poem turns wistful as whistling boys and grateful cows vanish into a ballad's barn, leaving only a faint memory of clover and a lingering sense of loss.
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