I'm sorry that I waited such a long time to be born, Then came when sylph-like figures took the whole world by the horn. I envy those "away back when" who dared to dine and drink, Who could lean back from a four-course lunch, and laugh and talk and think. Perhaps philosophize, and eulogize, and dream. Easy. Contented. Life deep-drenched in cream. While now I must perforce be glad and happy when my food Is bordered on the north by toast, sans butter -- not so good! On the south, black coffee -- Bah! Just take the stuff away! The east is flanked by spinach -- green and soggy with decay -- On the west a glass of milk -- thin and blue and pale -- For dessert, undressed leaf lettuce -- I consume it bale on bale! I rush my twenty blocks to work and as through the crowd I swing, I hear talk of diet, poundage, reducing -- same old thing! Hard times. Economy. No money. Hectic. Troubling. Life drained dry of honey. I sway, and pray my toast and spinach inner Will give me strength to last until my dinner. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WALLS DO NOT FALL: 4 by HILDA DOOLITTLE THE COSMIC TRAIL by EDWIN M. ABBOTT FROM A TRENCH by MAUD ANNA BELL EARLY VENEZIAN DETAIL by GORDON BOTTOMLEY VERSES TO J. RANKINE by ROBERT BURNS SECOND BOOK OF AIRS: TO HENRY, LORD CLIFFORD by THOMAS CAMPION THE LOVE OF THE WORLD REPROVED; OR, HYPOCRISY DETECTED by WILLIAM COWPER |