Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MUST AND MAY, by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Must and may they were two half-brothers Last Line: Singing a, b, c, d, e. F. G. Alternate Author Name(s): Ramal, Walter; De La Mare, Walter | ||||||||
Must and May they were two half-brothers, And Must -- a giant was he: And May but a wisp of a flibbetigibbet, A mere minikin manikinee. They dwelt in a mansion called Oughtoo, yes, Oughtoo, And a drearisome house was she. In an hundred great chambers Must wallowed in comfort, All at his ease to be. And the hundred and first was a crack of a cupboard, With nought but a hole for the key, Where the glint of a glimmer of a quickle of sunshine Gleamed in about half-past three. And there our May, smiling up at the window -- At the place where the window should be; As he sang to a harp with a top and a bottom string -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- and G. But if there was one thing Must could not instomach, 'Twas a treble-shrill fiddlededee, And he vowed a great vow he would learn May his manners, And he did -- as you'll shortly agree. Down -- down -- he collumbered; and with ear to the keyhole He crouched upon bended knee; And he roared with a roar that drowned the sweet harp-strings, He roared like a storm at sea. And he catched little May by the twist of his breeches Where the slack is snipped out in a V; And swallowed him whole; and he scrunched up his harp, too, He was so an -- ga -- ree. Now mutterers say that that Oughtoo is haunted, Exactly at half-past three, By the phantom of poor little May to fey harp-strings Singing A, B, C, D, E. F. G. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALONE (2) by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE AN EPITAPH by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE ARABIA by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE BUNCHES OF GRAPES by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE ECHO by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE ENGLAND (2) by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE FARE WELL by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE FIVE EYES by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE JOHN MOULDY by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE MOTLEY by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE |
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