Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


FRIEND OR FOE? by FREDERIC EDWARD WEATHERLY

First Line: PATTER! PATTER! RUNNING FEET!
Last Line: SHALL SOLVE OUR RIDDLE: FRIEND OR FOE?
Subject(s): RIDDLES;

PATTER! patter! running feet!
Something stirring in the street!
Does it come, or does it go?
Patter! patter! Friend or foe!

Love, the merry tricksy sprite,
In my lantern sits to-night.
Be it coming, friend or foe,
Love will "show him up" I know.

Patter! patter! nearer still;
Shall I? -- no -- I -- yes -- I will.
"Who goes there?" -- "It's only me!"
Ah! my little pet Marie!

Merry, loving, fond, and fair,
In the dark I see you there.
Still the sentry I will play:
"There's a password, love, to say."

What! She cannot answer me?
Has she lost her tongue, may be?
Never mind, love; face full well
Tells what lips refuse to tell!

Passwords, questions, little one,
We can quite well leave alone.
Other folks than we, I know,
Shall solve our riddle: Friend or foe?



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