Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ORGAN GRINDER, by RONALD WALKER BARR First Line: Well, pierrot, mon bon ami, we Last Line: "in italy, to cure his cough!" Subject(s): Organ-grinders; Hurdy-gurdy Men | ||||||||
"Well, Pierrot, mon bon ami, we Must don our chapeaux and be off! The sous dropped by the bourgeoisie Mean Italy to cure this cough. "In Italy they say the skies Are always cloudless, and the hills Are green; and nothing ever dies Except lost echoes from the rills. "And when for us life brighter grows, And you and I the past forget, And money through our fingers flows, We'll come to Paris for Monette. "Monette! Ah, Pierrot, hurry! I Am sure she waits us at the docks . . . It would be sweet, I think, to die If one's shroud were her raven locks . . ." And thus he dreamed and thus he talked The while he played for each poor sou. When winter came he lamely walked, His face was pinched, his lips were blue. And poor Monette grew wan with grief To see Pierre grow thin and white; And Pierrot trembled like a leaf As both starved through each killing night. They fished a body from the Seine, A frozen, bloated, staring boy; And dangling on a knotted chain, A monkey floundered like a toy. "Where is Pierre?" I asked. And he Who stripped the ragged clothing off Laughed as he said, "In Italy -- In Italy, to cure his cough!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BARREL-ORGAN by ALFRED NOYES THE MUSIC-GRINDERS by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES THE ORGAN-BOY by LEWIS MORRIS (1833-1907) MEN AND MONKEYS by AGNES MARY F. ROBINSON REPULSE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON SELLING HER ENGAGEMENT RING by KAREN SWENSON WINTER NIGHT by CH'IEN WEN OF LIANG THE RESOLVE by MARY LEE CHUDLEIGH SACRIFICE by GEORGE WILLIAM RUSSELL SHADOWS IN THE WATER by THOMAS TRAHERNE |
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