NOW the "rosy morn appearing" Floods with light the dazzled heaven; And the schoolboy groans on hearing That eternal clock strike seven: -- Now the waggoner is driving Tow'rds the fields his clattering wain; Now the blue-bottle, reviving, Buzzes down his native pane. But to me the morn is hateful: Wearily I stretch my legs, Dress, and settle to my plateful Of (perhaps inferior) eggs. Yesterday Miss Crump, by message, Mentioned "rent," which "p'raps I'd pay;" And I have a dismal presage That she'll call, herself, to-day. Once, I breakfasted off rosewood, Smoked through silver-mounted pipes -- Then how my patrician nose would Turn up at the thought of "swipes"! Ale, -- occasionally claret, -- Graced my luncheon then; -- and now I drink porter in a garret, To be paid for heaven knows how. When the evening shades are deepened, And I doff my hat and gloves, No sweet bird is there to "cheep and Twitter twenty million loves;" No dark-ringleted canaries Sing to me of "hungry foam;" No imaginary "Marys" Call fictitious "cattle home." Araminta, sweetest, fairest! Solace once of every ill! How I wonder if thou bearest Mivins in remembrance still! If that Friday night is banished From a once retentive mind, When the others somehow vanished, And we two were left behind: -- When in accents low, yet thrilling, I did all my love declare; Mentioned that I'd not a shilling -- Hinted that we need not care; And complacently you listened To my somewhat long address, And I thought the tear that glistened In the downdropt eye said Yes. Once, a happy child, I carolled O'er green lawns the whole day through, Not unpleasingly apparelled In a tightish suit of blue: -- What a change has now passed o'er me! Now with what dismay I see Every rising morn before me! Goodness gracious patience me! And I'll prowl, a moodier Lara, Thro' the world, as prowls the bat, And habitually wear a Cypress wreath around my hat: And when Death snuffs out the taper Of my Life (as soon he must), I'll send up to every paper, "Died, T. Mivins; of disgust." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HYMN OF TRUST by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES THE FAIRIES OF THE CALDON LOW; A MIDSUMMER LEGEND by MARY HOWITT SEVEN AGES OF MAN, FR. AS YOU LIKE IT by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE HINC LACHRIMAE; OR THE AUTHOR TO AURORA: 12 by WILLIAM BOSWORTH ASOLANDO: ROSNY by ROBERT BROWNING PROVERBIAL PHILOSOPHY: INTRODUCTORY by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY |