Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A BALLADE OF PLAYING CARDS, by GLEESON WHITE First Line: To soothe a mad king's fevered brain Last Line: Puppets of knave, and queen, and king. Subject(s): Card Games; Playing Cards | ||||||||
To soothe a mad King's fevered brain (So runs the legend), cards were made, When Gringonneur for Charles insane "Diversely colored" heart and spade, Diamond and club, the painted jade, The light-heeled Jack, and beckoning Called, to their royal cousin's aid, Puppets of knave, and queen, and king Grim fancy! that the playful train, The quaint, grimacing cavalcade, Should wreck such ills where they obtain The victims to their sorry trade, The player cozened by the played; Pasteboards supreme; to this they bring Both gallant buck and roystering blade, Puppets of knave, and queen, and king. From reckless play, what noble gain? One friend hard hit, the rest afraid To show their pleasure at his pain, Such sympathy might well persuade The cards in garish heaps displayed To join, with impish revelling, And jeer as all his fortunes fade -- Puppets of knave, and queen, and king. L'ENVOI Prince! after all, they are the shade, The type of every earthly thing, And we, through all life's masquerade, Puppets of knave, and queen, and king. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN TEN MILLS: IN DIVES' DIVE by ROBERT FROST PROUST'S MADELEINE by KENNETH REXROTH SOLITAIRE UNDER THE OAKS by WALLACE STEVENS THE CARD-DEALER by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI BLUEBEARD'S LAST WIFE: COMES PLAYINGCARD by OLIVER BROOK HERFORD |
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