Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE POACHER; A SERIOUS BALLAD, by THOMAS HOOD Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Bill blossom was a nice young man Last Line: And lost his life in notts. Subject(s): Poaching | ||||||||
BILL BLOSSOM was a nice young man, And drove the Bury coach; But bad companions were his bane, And egg'd him on to poach. They taught him how to net the birds, And how to noose the hare; And with a wiry terrier, He often set a snare. Each "shiny night" the moon was bright, To park, preserve, and wood He went, and kept the game alive, By killing all he could. Land-owners, who had rabbits, swore That he had this demerit -- Give him an inch of warren, he Would take a yard of ferret. At partridges he was not nice; And many, large and small, Without Hall's powder, without lead, Were sent to Leaden-Hall. He did not fear to take a deer From forest, park, or lawn; And without courting lord or duke, Used frequently to fawn. Folks who had hares discovered snares -- His course they could not stop: No barber he, and yet he made Their hares a perfect crop. To pheasant he was such a foe, He tried the keeper's nerves; They swore he never seem'd to have Jam satis of preserves. The Shooter went to beat, and found No sporting worth a pin, Unless he tried the covers made Of silver, plate, or tin. In Kent the game was little worth, In Surrey not a button! The Speaker said he often tried The Manors about Sutton. No county from his tricks was safe; In each he tried his lucks, And when the keepers were in Beds, He often was at Bucks. And when he went to Bucks, alas! They always came to Herts; And even Oxon used to wish That he had his deserts. But going to his usual Hants, Old Cheshire laid his plots; He got entrapp'd by legal Berks, And lost his life in Notts. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BALLAD OF MINEPIT SHAW by RUDYARD KIPLING THE POACHER (IN IMITATION OF CRABBE) by WALTER SCOTT THE KEEPER'S SON by ANDRE THEURIET THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER by ANONYMOUS IRISH ASTRONOMY by CHARLES GRAHAM HALPINE POACHERS by VENETA LEATHAM NIELSEN POACHER by RONALD STUART THOMAS SHINING NIGHT, OR DICK DARING, THE POACHER by UNKNOWN VAN DIEMAN'S LAND (3) by UNKNOWN |
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