WHEN as the night-raven sung Pluto's matins And Cerberus cried three amens at a howl, When night-wandering witches put on their pattens, Midnight as dark as their faces are foul; Then did the furies doom That the nightmare was come. Such a misshapen groom Puts down Su. Pomfret clean. Never did incubus Touch such a filthy sus As this foul gypsy quean. First on her gooseberry cheeks I mine eyes blasted, Thence fear of vomiting made me retire Unto her bluer lips, which when I tasted, My spirits were duller than Dun in the mire. But then her breath took place Which went an usher's pace And made way for her face! You may guess what I mean. Never did, &c. Like snakes engendering were platted her tresses, Or like the slimy streaks of ropy ale; Uglier than Envy wears, when she confesses Her head is periwigged with adder's tail. But as soon as she spake I heard a harsh mandrake. Laugh not at my mistake, Her head is epicene. Never did, &c. Mystical magic of conjuring wrinkles; Feeling of pulses, the palmistry of hags; Scolding out belches for rhetoric twinkles; With three teeth in her head like to three gags: Rainbows about her eyes And her nose, weather-wise; From them the almanac lies, Frost, Pond, and Rivers clean. Never did incubus Touch such a filthy sus As this foul gypsy quean. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CHAMBER MUSIC: 11 by JAMES JOYCE LINCOLN TRIUMPHANT by EDWIN MARKHAM THE PHANTOM HORSEWOMAN by THOMAS HARDY THE HEATHEN PASS-EE by ARTHUR CLEMENT HILTON HAILSTORM IN MAY by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS SONNET ON SITTING DOWN TO READ KING LEAR ONCE AGAIN by JOHN KEATS THE POET AND HIS BOOK by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY ODES: BOOK 1: ODE 3. TO A FRIEND UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOVE by MARK AKENSIDE |