THE burden of hard hitting: slog away! Here shalt thou make a "five" and there a "four,' And then upon thy bat shalt lean, and say, That thou art in for an uncommon score. Yea, the loud ring applauding thee shall roar, And thou to rival THORNTON shalt aspire, When lo, the Umpire gives thee "leg before,"— "This is the end of every man's desire!" The burden of much bowling, when the stay Of all thy team is "collared," swift or slower, When "bailers" break not in their wonted way, And "yorkers" come not off as here-to-fore, When length balls shoot no more, ah never more, When all deliveries lose their former fire, When bats seem broader than the broad barn-door,— "This is the end of every man's desire!" The burden of long fielding, when the clay Clings to thy shoon in sudden shower's downpour, And running still thou stumblest, or the ray Of blazing suns doth bite and burn thee sore, And blind thee till, forgetful of thy lore, Thou dost most mournfully misjudge a "skyer, And lose a match the Fates cannot restore,— "This is the end of every man's desire!" ENVOY Alas, yet liefer on Youth's hither shore Would I be some poor Player on scant hire, Than King among the old, who play no more,— "@3This@1 is the end of every man's desire!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GOSSAMER by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON LETHE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE SUICIDE by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON ON THE PROPOSAL TO ERECT A MONUMENT IN ENGLAND TO LORD BYRON by EMMA LAZARUS STUDY FOR A GEOGRAPHICAL TRAIL; 5. MARYLAND by CLARENCE MAJOR |