Classic and Contemporary Poetry
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF MY UNCLE ARLY, by EDWARD LEAR Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: O my aged uncle arly! / sitting on a heap of barley Last Line: (but his shoes were far too tight.) Subject(s): Nonsense; Uncles | ||||||||
O my aged Uncle Arly, Sitting on a heap of barley Through the silent hours of night, Close beside a leafy thicket; On his nose there was a cricket, In his hat a Railway-Ticket, (But his shoes were far too tight.) Long ago, in youth, he squander'd All his goods away, and wander'd To the Timskoop-hills afar. There on golden sunsets glazing Every evening found him gazing, Singing, "Orb! you're quite amazing! How I wonder what you are!" Like the ancient Medes and Persians, Always by his own exertions He subsisted on those hills; Whiles, by teaching children spelling, Or at times by merely yelling, Or at intervals by selling "Propter's Nicodemus Pills." Later, in his morning rambles, He perceived the moving brambles Something square and white disclose: -- 'T was a First-class Railway-Ticket; But on stooping down to pick it Off the ground, a pea-green cricket Settled on my uncle's nose. Never, nevermore, oh! never Did that cricket leave him ever, -- Dawn or evening, day or night; Clinging as a constant treasure, Chirping with a cheerious measure, Wholly to my uncle's pleasure, (Though his shoes were far too tight.) So for three and forty winters, Till his shoes were worn to splinters All those hills he wander'd o'er, -- Sometimes silent, sometimes yelling; Till he came to Borley-Melling, Near his old ancestral dwelling, (But his shoes were far too tight.) On a little heap of barley Died my aged Uncle Arly, And they buried him one night Close beside the leafy thicket; There, his hat and Railway-Ticket; There, his ever faithful cricket; (But his shoes were far too tight.) | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MORAL: FRANKLIN HYDE, WHO CAROUSED IN THE DIRT AND WAS CORRECTED BY HIS UNCLE by HILAIRE BELLOC AFTER SUNDAY WE UNCLES SNOOZE by JOHN CIARDI LENNIE SWENSON by KAREN SWENSON THE BABES IN THE WOOD; OR, THE NORFOLK TRAGEDY by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM UNCLE AN' AUNT by WILLIAM BARNES UNCLE OUT O' DEBT AN' OUT O' DANGER by WILLIAM BARNES |
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