English poem - The School Master

A man, severe he was, and stern to view;
I knew him well, and every truant knew;
Yet he was kind, or, if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault.
The village all declared how much he knew;
’Twas certain he could write and cypher too;
While words of learned length and thundering sound,
Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around;
And still they gazed and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew.