Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ODE TO WORK, by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ODE TO WORK, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Thou, who when joys appear
Last Line: Give me my racquet!
Alternate Author Name(s): F. P. A.
Subject(s): Calverley, Charles Stuart (1831-1884); Friendship; Labor & Laborers; Work; Workers


THOU, who when joys appear
Bidst them begone, and mere
Pleasure, delight, or cheer,
Scorning regardest;
Hard, when the morn is gray;
Hard, when they've cleared away
Lunch; and at close of day
Possibly hardest:

I have a hatred old
For thee, though manifold
Stories, I know, are told,
All to thy credit;
How they who love to slave,
Avid of work, and brave,
Fill a not early grave,
(Gosh! how I dread it!)

How they who love to shirk
Duties that chafe and irk,
Loathing all kinds of work,
Reft of ambitions,
Urgeless and uninspired,
Sodden and dull and tired,
Ultimately get fired—
Lose their positions.

Often a friend when he
Greets me will say to me:
"Oh, how you gleefully
Jingle and jest it!"
Friend, if you care for my
Shameless expression, why,
Let me be honest: I
Simply detest it.

Work, I have heard it claimed,
Makes one beloved and famed;
Haply I shall be blamed
Now if I slack it.
Blame me, then ... I don't care
One little tinker's swear.
Me for the open air—
Give me my racquet!





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