Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE THREE WISE COUPLES, by ELIZABETH T. CORBETT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE THREE WISE COUPLES, by                    
First Line: Three wise old couples were they, were they,
Last Line: "to see the bear and the circus show!"
Alternate Author Name(s): Corbett, E. T., Mrs.


THREE WISE OLD COUPLES were they, were they,
Who went to keep house together one day.
Upstairs and downstairs one couple ran,
He with his ulster, she with her fan.
"Fresh air!" cried the wife, "is the thing for me."
"Shut the windows -- I'm freezing," said he.

The second couple, with basket and gun,
Went hunting for spiders, one by one.
Into the corners they poked and pried:
"There's one! I'll shoot him!" the husband cried,
While his wife exclaimed: "When the basket's full,
I can sell the spiders' webs for wool."

But the wisest couple of the three
Said: "We will a traveling circus be!"
"You," cried the wife, "the bear must play;
Up on the ladder you ought to stay,
And I'll carry the club, because, you know,
I'll have to beat you, your tricks to show."

So the man in the ulster was frozen stiff,
While his wife did nothing but fan and sniff.
The hunter was stung by a cross old spider,
As he very imprudently sat down beside her,
And his wife, who was gathering webs for wool,
Used him to make up a basket full.

But the man who learned the bear to play
Lived on the ladder for many a day.
He stole the club and he wouldn't come down,
So his poor wife carried him through the town,
And all the people said: "Let's go
To see the bear and the circus show!"





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net