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THE ARCHERY MEETING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The archery meeting is fixed for the third
Last Line: But still at my elbow two misses I see.
Alternate Author Name(s): Bayly, Nathaniel Thomas Haynes
Subject(s): Archers & Archery


THE Archery meeting is fixed for the third;
The fuss that it causes is truly absurd;
I've bought summer bonnets for Rosa and Bess,
And now I must buy each an archery dress!
Without a green suit they would blush to be seen,
And poor little Rosa looks horrid in green!

Poor fat little Rosa! she's shooting all day!
She sends forth an arrow expertly, they say;
But 'tis terrible when with exertion she warms,
And she seems to me getting such muscular arms;
And if she should hit, 'twere as well if she missed,
Prize bracelets could never be clasped on her wrist!

Dear Bess with her elegant figure and face,
Looks quite a Diana, the queen of the place;
But as for the shooting--she never takes aim;
She talks so and laughs so! the beaux are to blame
She doats on flirtation--but oh! by the by,
'Twas awkward her shooting out Mrs. Flint's eye!

They've made my poor husband an archer elect;
He dresses the part with prodigious effect;
A pair of nankeens, with a belt round his waist,
And a quiver of course in which arrows are placed;
And a bow in his hand--oh! he looks of all things
Like a corpulent Cupid bereft of his wings!

They dance on the lawn, and we mothers, alas!
Must sit on camp stools with our feet in the grass;
My Rosa and Bessy no partners attract!
The Archery men are all cross Beaux in fact!
Among the young ladies some hits there may be,
But still at my elbow two misses I see.





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