27.12.2010, 17:28
EUSTACE AND EDITH,
Or the old Rocking-horse.
Poor rocking-horse ! Eustace, and Edith too,
Mount living steeds : she leans her dainty whip
Across thy smooth-worn flank, and feels thee dip
Beneath the pressure, while she dons a shoe,
Or lifts a glove, and thinks ' My childhood's gone !'
While the young statesman, with high hopes possest,
Lays a light hand upon thy yielding crest,
And rocks thee vacantly and passes on.
Yet they both love thee—nor would either brook
Thine absence from this hall, tho' other aims
And interests have supplanted thy mute claims.
And thou must be content with casual look
From those, who sought thee once with earnest will,
And gallop'd thee with all their might and skill
MAKE-BELIEVE HUNTING.
How often, when the Meet was at the hall,
Those babes took horse, and, in their joy and pride,
Drew half the coverts of the country side ;
Sweet innocents ! for little Spot was all
Their kennel ; hapless Reynard never knew
How wide a field his enemies embraced,
How both in fact and fancy he was chased,
And what that staunch old rocking-horse could do !
Oh ! give him kindly greeting, man and maid.
And pat.him, as you pass, with friendly hands.
In that dim window where disused he stands,
While o'er him breaks the limewalk's flickering shade ;
No provender, no mate, no groom, has he —
His stall and pasture is your memory.
Or the old Rocking-horse.
Poor rocking-horse ! Eustace, and Edith too,
Mount living steeds : she leans her dainty whip
Across thy smooth-worn flank, and feels thee dip
Beneath the pressure, while she dons a shoe,
Or lifts a glove, and thinks ' My childhood's gone !'
While the young statesman, with high hopes possest,
Lays a light hand upon thy yielding crest,
And rocks thee vacantly and passes on.
Yet they both love thee—nor would either brook
Thine absence from this hall, tho' other aims
And interests have supplanted thy mute claims.
And thou must be content with casual look
From those, who sought thee once with earnest will,
And gallop'd thee with all their might and skill
MAKE-BELIEVE HUNTING.
How often, when the Meet was at the hall,
Those babes took horse, and, in their joy and pride,
Drew half the coverts of the country side ;
Sweet innocents ! for little Spot was all
Their kennel ; hapless Reynard never knew
How wide a field his enemies embraced,
How both in fact and fancy he was chased,
And what that staunch old rocking-horse could do !
Oh ! give him kindly greeting, man and maid.
And pat.him, as you pass, with friendly hands.
In that dim window where disused he stands,
While o'er him breaks the limewalk's flickering shade ;
No provender, no mate, no groom, has he —
His stall and pasture is your memory.