Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE VULTURE AND THE HUSBAND-MAN, by ARTHUR CLEMENT HILTON First Line: The rain was raining cheerfully Last Line: They'd ploughed them every one! | ||||||||
The rain was raining cheerfully As if it had been May; The Senate-House appeared inside Unusually gay; And this was strange, because it was A Viva-voce day. The men were sitting sulkily, Their paper work was done; They wanted much to go away To ride or row or run; "It's very rude,' they said, "to keep Us here, and spoil our fun.' The papers they had finished lay In piles of blue and white. They answered everything they could, And wrote with all their might, But, thought they wrote it all by rote, They did not write it right. The Vulture and the Husbandman Beside these piles did stand, They wept like anything to see The work they had in hand, "If this were only finished up,' Said they: "it would be grand!' "If seven D's or seven C's We give to all the crowd, Do you suppose,' the Vulture said, "That we could get them ploughed?' "I think so,' said the Husbandman, "But pray don't talk so loud.' "O undergraduates, come up,' The Vulture did beseech, "And let us see if you can learn As well as we can teach; We cannot do with more than two To have a word with each.' Two Undergraduates came up, And slowly took a seat, They knit their brows, and bit their thumbs, As if they found them sweet, And this was odd, because you know Thumbs are not good to eat. "The time has come,' the Vulture said, "To talk of many things, Of Accidence and Adjectives, And names of Jewish kings, How many notes a sackbut has, And whether shawms have strings.' "Please, sir,' the Undergraduates said, Turning a little blue, "We did not know that was the sort Of thing we had to do.' "We thank you much,' the Vulture said, "Send up another two.' Two more came up, and then two more; And more, and more, and more; And some looked upwards at the roof, Some down upon the floor, But none were any wiser than The pair that went before. "I weep for you,' the Vulture said, "I deeply sympathize!' With sobs and tears he gave them all D's of the largest size, While at the Husbandman he winked One of his streaming eyes. "I think,' observed the Husbandman, "We're getting on too quick. Are we not putting down the D's A little bit too thick?' The Vulture said with much disgust "Their answers make me sick.' "Now, Undergraduates,' he cried, "Our fun is nearly done, Will anybody else come up?' But answer came there none; And this was scarcely odd, because They'd ploughed them every one! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...OCTOPUS by ARTHUR CLEMENT HILTON THE EARTH-CHILD IN THE GRASS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD RAIN IN SUMMER by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE BROWN GIANT by ALEXANDER ANDERSON A VINDICATION by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) AT SEA by FRANCIS WILLIAM BOURDILLON GRANDFATHER WATTS'S PRIVATE FOURTH by HENRY CUYLER BUNNER CHILD-PLAY by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON SONGS OF THE SEA CHILDREN: 15 by BLISS CARMAN TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 3. FROM TURIN TO PARIS by EDWARD CARPENTER |
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