Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE RETIRED PORK-BUTCHER AND THE SPOOK, by G. E. FARROW


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE RETIRED PORK-BUTCHER AND THE SPOOK, by                    
First Line: I may as well
Last Line: A game of cards at night.
Subject(s): Butchers; Ghosts; Retirement; Supernatural


I MAY as well
Proceed to tell
About a Mister Higgs,
Who grew quite rich
In trade -- the which
Was selling pork and pigs.

From trade retired,
He much desired
To rank with gentlefolk,
So bought a place
He called "The Chase,"
And furnished it -- old oak.

Ancestors got
(Twelve pounds the lot,
In Tottenham Court Road);
A pedigree --
For nine pounds three, --
The Heralds' Court bestowed.

Within the hall,
And on the wall,
Hung armour bright and strong.
"To Ethelbred" --
The label read --
"De Higgs, this did belong."

'Twas quite complete,
This country seat,
Yet neighbours stayed away.
Nobody called, --
Higgs was blackballed, --
Which caused him great dismay.

"Why can it be?"
One night said he
When thinking of it o'er.
There came a knock
('Twas twelve o'clock)
Upon his chamber door.

Higgs cried, "Come in!"
A vapour thin
The keyhole wandered through.
Higgs rubbed his eyes
In mild surprise:
A ghost appeared in view.

"I beg," said he,
"You'll pardon me,
In calling rather late.
A family ghost,
I seek a post,
With wage commensurate.

"I'll serve you well;
My 'fiendish yell'
Is certain sure to please.
'Sepulchral tones,'
And 'rattling bones,'
I'm very good at these.

"Five bob I charge
To roam at large,
With 'clanking chains' ad lib.;
I do such things
As 'gibberings'
At one-and-three per gib.

"Or, by the week,
I merely seek
Two pounds -- which is not dear;
Because I need,
Of course, no feed,
No washing, and no beer."

Higgs thought it o'er
A bit, before
He hired the family ghost,
But, finally,
He did agree
To give to him the post.

It got about --
You know, no doubt,
How quickly such news flies --
Throughout the place,
From "Higgses Chase"
Proceeded ghostly cries.

The rumour spread,
Folks shook their head,
But dropped in one by one.
A bishop came
(Forget his name),
And then the thing was done.

For afterwards
All left their cards,
"Because," said they, "you see,
One who can boast
A family ghost
Respectable must be."

When it was due,
The "ghostes's" screw
Higgs raised -- as was but right --
They often play,
In friendly way,
A game of cards at night.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net