Classic and Contemporary Poetry
JOHNNY, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Johnny had a golden head Last Line: She sobbed as if her heart must break. Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina Subject(s): French Revolution (1789) | ||||||||
JOHNNY had a golden head Like a golden mop in blow, Right and left his curls would spread In a glory and a glow, And they framed his honest face Like stray sunbeams out of place. Long and thick, they half could hide How threadbare his patched jacket hung; They used to be his Mother's pride; She praised them with a tender tongue, And stroked them with a loving finger That smoothed and stroked and loved to linger. On a doorstep Johnny sat, Up and down the street looked he; Johnny did not own a hat, Hot or cold tho' days might be; Johnny did not own a boot To cover up his muddy foot. Johnny's face was pale and thin, Pale with hunger and with crying; For his Mother lay within, Talked and tossed and seemed adying, While Johnny racked his brains to think How to get her help and drink, Get her physic, get her tea, Get her bread and something nice; Not a penny piece had he, And scarce a shilling might suffice; No wonder that his soul was sad, When not one penny piece he had. As he sat there thinking, moping, Because his Mother's wants were many, Wishing much but scarcely hoping To earn a shilling or a penny, A friendly neighbour passed him by, And questioned him, why did he cry. Alas his trouble soon was told: He did not cry for cold or hunger, Though he was hungry both and cold; He only felt more weak and younger, Because he wished so to be old And apt at earning pence or gold. Kindly that neighbour was, but poor, Scant coin had he to give or lend; And well he guessed there needed more Than pence or shillings to befriend The helpless woman in her strait, So much loved, yet so desolate. One way he saw, and only one: He would -- he could -- not give the advice, And yet he must: the widow's son Had curls of gold would fetch their price; Long curls which might be clipped, and sold For silver, or perhaps for gold. Our Johnny, when he understood Which shop it was that purchased hair, Ran off as briskly as he could, And in a trice stood cropped and bare, Too short of hair to fill a locket, But jingling money in his pocket. Precious money -- tea and bread, Physic, ease, for Mother dear, Better than a golden head: Yet our hero dropped one tear When he spied himself close shorn, Barer much than lamb new-born. His Mother throve upon the money, Ate and revived and kissed her son: but oh when she perceived her Johnny, And understood what he had done All and only for her sake, She sobbed as if her heart must break. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FRANCE: AN ODE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE LOUIS XV by JOHN STERLING (1806-1844) FRENCH REVOLUTION; AS IT APPEARED TO ENTHUSIASTS AT ITS COMMENCEMENT by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH LINES WRITTEN ... ONE WHO HAD WATCHED .. AMERICAN & FRENCH REVOLUTIONS by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES THE FRENCH REVOLUTION by WILLIAM BLAKE VERSAILLES (1784) by STOPFORD AUGUSTUS BROOKE THE MIDNIGHT MASS; AN INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION by ADA CAMBRIDGE AN ODE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BASTILE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE TALLEYRAND TO LORD GRENVILLE; A METRICAL EPISTLE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE IT IS FINISHED' by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI ITALIA, IO TI SALUTO!' by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI THE HEART KNOWETH ITS OWN BITTERNESS' (2) by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI |
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