the home book of verse-4-第20部分
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A raven sat upon a tree；
And not a word he spoke； for
His beak contained a piece of Brie；
Or； maybe； it was Roquefort？
We'll make it any kind you please …
At all events； it was a cheese。
Beneath the tree's umbrageous limb
A hungry fox sat smiling；
He saw the raven watching him；
And spoke in words beguiling：
〃J'admire；〃 said he； 〃ton beau plumage；〃
（The which was simply persiflage）。
Two things there are； no doubt you know；
To which a fox is used； …
A rooster that is bound to crow；
A crow that's bound to roost；
And whichsoever he espies
He tells the most unblushing lies。
〃Sweet fowl；〃 he said； 〃I understand
You're more than merely natty：
I hear you sing to beat the band
And Adelina Patti。
Pray render with your liquid tongue
A bit from 'Gotterdammerung。'〃
This subtle speech was aimed to please
The crow； and it succeeded：
He thought no bird in all the trees
Could sing as well as he did。
In flattery completely doused；
He gave the 〃Jewel Song〃 from 〃Faust。〃
But gravitation's law； of course；
As Isaac Newton showed it；
Exerted on the cheese its force；
And elsewhere soon bestowed it。
In fact； there is no need to tell
What happened when to earth it fell。
I blush to add that when the bird
Took in the situation；
He said one brief； emphatic word；
Unfit for publication。
The fox was greatly startled； but
He only sighed and answered 〃Tut！〃
The moral is： A fox is bound
To be a shameless sinner。
And also： When the cheese comes round
You know it's after dinner。
But （what is only known to few）
The fox is after dinner； too。
Guy Wetmore Carryl ＇1873…1904＇
THE FRIEND OF HUMANITY AND THE KNIFE…GRINDER
Friend Of Humanity
Needy knife…grinder！ whither are you going？
Rough is the road； your wheel is out of order。 …
Bleak blows the blast； … your hat has got a hole in't。
So have your breeches！
Weary knife…grinder！ little think the proud ones
Who in their coaches roll along the turnpike…
Road； what hard work 'tis crying all day；
〃Knives and
Scissors to grind O！〃
Tell me； knife…grinder； how you came to grind knives？
Did some rich man tyrannically use you？
Was it the squire？ or parson of the parish？
Or the attorney？
Was it the squire for killing of his game？ or
Covetous parson； for his tithes destraining？
Or roguish lawyer made you lose your little
All in a lawsuit？
（Have you not read the Rights of Man； by Tom Paine？）
Drops of compassion tremble on my eyelids；
Ready to fall； as soon as you have told your
Pitiful story。
KNIFE…GRINDER
Story？ God bless you！ I have none to tell； sir；
Only； last night； a…drinking at the Chequers；
This poor old hat and breeches； as you see； were
Torn in a scuffle
Constables came up for to take me into
Custody； they took me before the justice；
Justice Oldmixon put me in the parish
Stocks for a vagrant。
I should be glad to drink your honor's health in
A pot of beer； if you will give me sixpence；
But for my part； I never love to meddle
With politics； sir。
FRIEND OF HUMANITY
I give thee sixpence！ I will see thee damned first； …
Wretch！ whom no sense of wrongs can rouse to vengeance！ …
Sordid； unfeeling； reprobate； degraded；
Spiritless outcast！
（Kicks the Knife…grinder； overturns his wheel； and exit in a transport of republican enthusiasm and universal philanthropy。）
George Canning ＇1770…1827＇
VILLON'S STRAIGHT TIP TO ALL CROSS COVES
〃Tout aux tavernes et aux fiells。〃
Suppose you screeve？ or go cheap…jack？
Or fake the broads？ or fig a nag？
Or thimble…rig？ or knap a yack？
Or pitch a snide？ or smash a rag？
Suppose you duff？ or nose and lag？
Or get the straight； and land your pot？
How do you melt the multy swag？
Booze and the blowens cop the lot。
Fiddle； or fence； or mace； or mack；
Or moskeneer； or flash the drag；
Dead…lurk a crib； or do a crack；
Pad with a slang； or chuck a fag；
Bonnet； or tout； or mump and gag；
Rattle the tats； or mark the spot；
You can not bag a single stag；
Booze and the blowens cop the lot。
Suppose you try a different tack；
And on the square you flash your flag？
At penny…a…lining make your whack；
Or with the mummers mug and gag？
For nix； for nix the dibbs you bag！
At any graft； no matter what；
Your merry goblins soon stravag：
Booze and the blowens cop the lot。
THE MORAL
It's up the spout and Charley Wag
With wipes and tickers and what not；
Until the squeezer nips your scrag；
Booze and the blowens cop the lot。
William Ernest Henley ＇1849…1903＇
VILLON'S BALLADE
Of Good Counsel； To His Friends Of Evil Life
Nay； be you pardoner or cheat；
Or cogger keen； or mumper shy；
You'll burn your fingers at the feat；
And howl like other folks that fry。
All evil folks that love a lie！
And where goes gain that greed amasses；
By wile； and guile； and thievery？
'Tis all to taverns and to lasses！
Rhyme； rail； dance； play the cymbals sweet；
With game； and shame； and jollity；
Go jigging through the field and street；
With myst'ry and morality；
Win gold at gleek； … and that will fly；
Where all your gain at passage passes； …
And that's？ You know as well as I；
'Tis all to taverns and to lasses！
Nay； forth from all such filth retreat；
Go delve and ditch； in wet or dry；
Turn groom； give horse and mule their meat；
If you've no clerkly skill to ply；
You'll gain enough； with husbandry；
But … sow hempseed and such wild grasses；
And where goes all you take thereby？ …
'Tis all to taverns and to lasses！
ENVOY
Your clothes； your hose； your broidery；
Your linen that the snow surpasses；
Or ere they're worn； off； off they fly；
'Tis all to taverns and to lasses！
Andrew Lang ＇1844…1912＇
A LITTLE BROTHER OF THE RICH
To put new shingles on old roofs；
To give old women wadded skirts；
To treat premonitory coughs
With seasonable flannel shirts；
To soothe the stings of poverty
And keep the jackal from the door； …
These are the works that occupy
The Little Sister of the Poor。
She carries； everywhere she goes；
Kind words and chickens； jams and coals；
Poultices for corporeal woes；
And sympathy for downcast souls：
Her currant jelly； her quinine；
The lips of fever move to bless；
She makes the humble sick…room shine
With unaccustomed tidiness。
A heart of hers the instant twin
And vivid counterpart is mine；
I also serve my fellow…men；
Though in a somewhat different line。
The Poor； and their concerns； she has
Monopolized； because of which
It falls to me to labor as
A Little Brother of the Rich。
For their sake at no sacrifice
Does my devoted spirit quail；
I give their horses exercise；
As ballast on their yachts I sail。
Upon their tallyhos I ride
And brave the chances of a storm；
I even use my own inside
To keep their wines and victuals warm。
Those whom we strive to benefit
Dear to our hearts soon grow to be；
I love my Rich； and I admit
That they are very good to me。
Succor the Poor； my sisters； … I；
While heaven shall still vouchsafe me health；
Will strive to share and mollify
The trials of abounding wealth。
Edward Sandford Martin ＇1856…
THE WORLD'S WAY
At Haroun's court it chanced； upon a time；
An Arab poet made this pleasant rhyme：
〃The new moon is a horseshoe； wrought of God；
Wherewith the Sultan's stallion shall be shod。〃
On hearing this； the Sultan smiled； and gave
The man a gold…piece。 Sing again； O slave！
Above his lute the happy singer bent；
And turned another gracious compliment。
And； as before； the smiling Sultan gave
The man a sekkah。 Sing again； O slave！
Again the verse came； fluent as a rill
That wanders； silver…footed； down a hill。
The Sultan； listening； nodded as before；
Still gave the gold； and still demanded more。
The nimble fancy that had climbed so high
Grew weary with its climbing by and by：
Strange discords rose； the sense went quite amiss；
The singer's rhymes refused to meet and kiss：
Invention flagged； the lute had got unstrung；
And twice he sang the song already sung。
The Sultan； furious； called a mute； and said；
O Musta； straightway whip me off his head！
Poets！ not in Arabia alone
You get beheaded when your skill is gone。
Thomas Bailey Aldrich ＇1837…1907＇
FOR MY OWN MONUMENT
As doctors give physic by way of prevention；
Mat； alive and in health； of his tombstone took care；
For delays are unsafe； and his pious intention
May haply be never fulfilled by his heir。
Then take Mat's word for it； the sculptor is paid；
That the figure is fine； pray believe your own eye；
Yet credit but lightly what more may be said；
For we flatter ourselves； and teach marble to lie。
Yet counting as far as to fifty his years；
His virtues and vices were as other men's are；
High hopes he conceived； and he smothered great fears；
In a life parti…colored； half pleasure； half care。
Nor to business a drudge； nor to faction a slave；
He strove to make interest and freedom agree；
In public employments industrious and grave；
And alone with his friends； lord！ how merry was he！
Now in equipage stately； now humbly on foot；
Both fortunes be tried； but to neither would trust；
And whirled in the round； as the wheel turned about；
He found riches had wings； and knew man was but dust。
This verse； little polished； though mighty sincere；
Sets neither his titles nor merit to view；
It says that his relics collected lie here；
And no mortal yet knows too if this may be true。
Fierce robbers there are that infest the highway；
So Mat may be killed； and his bones never found；
False witness at court； and fierce tempests at sea；
So Mat may yet chance to be hanged or be drowned。
If his bones lie in earth；
