Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A LIFE IN THE COUNTRY (STANZAS FOR MUSIC), by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A LIFE IN THE COUNTRY (STANZAS FOR MUSIC), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Oh! A life in the country how joyous
Last Line: "though, &c."
Subject(s): Country Life


"OH! a life in the country how joyous,
How ineffably charming it is;
With no ill-mannered crowds to annoy us,
Nor odious neighbours to quiz!"
So murmured the beautiful Harriet
To the fondly affectionate Brown,
As they rolled in the flame-coloured chariot
From the nasty detestable town;
Singing, "Oh, a life in the country how joyous,
How ineffably charming it is!"

"I shall take a portfolio quite full
Of the sweetest conceivable glees;
And at times manufacture delightful
Little odes to the doves in the trees.
There'll be dear little stockingless wretches
In those hats that are so picturesque,
Who will make the deliciousest sketches,
Which I'll place in my Theodore's desk;
And Oh, &c.

"Then how pleasant to study the habits
Of the creatures we meet as we roam:
And perhaps keep a couple of rabbits,
Or some fish and a bullfinch at home!
The larks, when the summer has brought 'em,
Will sing overtures quite like Mozart's,
And the blackberries, dear, in the autumn
Will make the most exquisite tarts!
And Oh, &c.

"The bells of the sheep will be ringing
All day amid sweet-scented flowers,
As we sit by some rivulet singing
About May and her beautiful bowers.
We'll take intellectual rambles
In those balm-laden evenings of June,
And say it reminds one of Campbell's
(Or somebody's) lines to the moon;
And Oh, &c. -- it is."

But these charms began shortly to pall on
The taste of the gay Mrs. Brown:
She hadn't a body to call on,
Nor a soul that could make up a gown.
She was yearning to see her relations;
And besides had a troublesome cough;
And in fact she was losing all patience,
And exclaimed, "We must really be off,
Though a life in the country so joyous,
So ineffably charming it is."

"But this morning I noticed a beetle
Crawl along on the dining-room floor
If we stay till the summer, the heat 'll
Infallibly bring out some more.
Now, few have a greater objection
To beetles than Harriet Brown:
And, my dear, I think, on reflection --
I should like to go back to the town.
Though, &c."





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