ABOUT fifty years since, in the days of our daddies, That plan was commenced which the wise now applaud. Of shipping off Ireland's most turbulent Paddies, As good raw material for settlers, abroad. Some West Indian Island, whose name I forget, Was the reason then chosen for this scheme so romantic; And such the success the first colony met, That a second, soon after, set sail o'er the Atlantic. Behold them now safe at the long looked-for shore, Sailding in between banks that the Shannon might greet, And thinking of friends whom, but two years before, They had sorrowed to lose, but would soon again meet. And, hark! form the shore a glad welcome there came-- 'Arrah, Paddy from Cork, is it you, my sweet boy?' Whild Pat stood astounded to hear has own name Thus hailed by black devils, who capered for joy! Can it possibly be ?--half amazement--half doubt, Pat listens again--rubs his eyes and looks steady; Then heaves a deep sigh, and in horror yells out, 'Good Lord! only think--black and curly already! Deceived by the well-mimicked brogue in his ears, Pat read his own doom in these wool-headed figures, And thought, what a climate, in less than two years, To turn a whole cargo of Pats into niggers! MORAL 'Tis thus,--but alas!--by a moral more true Than is told in this rival of Ovid's best stories,-- Your Whigs, when in office a short year or two, By a lusus naturae, all turn into Tories. And thus, when I hear them 'strong measures' advise, Ere the seats that they sit on have time to get steady, I say, while I listen, with tears in my eves, 'Good Lord!--only think--black and curly already!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THEN LAUGH by BERTHA ADAMS BACKUS MADRIGAL by WILLIAM DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN THOUGHTS OF PHENA AT NEWS OF HER DEATH by THOMAS HARDY TOMMY [ATKINS] by RUDYARD KIPLING VERSES WHY BURNT by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR KIT CARSON'S RIDE by CINCINNATUS HEINE MILLER MISPLACED SYMPATHY by CHARLES FOLLEN ADAMS |