The fire, with well-dried logs supplied, Went roaring up the chimney wide; The huge hall-table's oaken face, Scrubb'd till it shone, the day to grace, Bore then upon its massive board No mark to part the squire and lord. Then was brought in the lusty brawn, By old blue-coated serving-man; Then the grim boar's head frown'd on high, Crested with bays and rosemary. Well can the green-garb'd ranger tell, How, when, and where, the monster fell; What dogs before his death he tore, And all the baiting of the boar. The wassel round, in good brown bowls Garnish'd with ribbons, blithely trowls. There the huge sirloin reek'd; hard by Plum-porridge stood, and Christmas pie; Nor fail'd old Scotland to produce, At such high tide, her savoury goose. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LITTLE JERRY, THE MILLER by JOHN GODFREY SAXE FLORAL DECORATIONS FOR BANANAS by WALLACE STEVENS GOD SAVE THE NATION! by THEODORE TILTON THE BIRTHDAY CROWN by WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1824-1911) THE SHRINE OF VENUS by ANTIPATER OF SIDON TROPIC NIGHTFALL by ROBERT AVRETT EPIGRAM by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 49. THE ENGLISH RACE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) TO MY FRIEND MR. THOMAS FLATMAN, ON THE PUBLISHING OF THESE HIS POEMS by FRANCIS BARNARD (D. 1698) |