Short Poems

Fair were the pageants given in days of yore,
To Caesar owe we deeper obligations;
Our eyes confess they owe him much, far more
Our grateful ears — he banned the recitations!

" UNPOLISHED " — so that scribbler sneers,
While he that reads and he that hears,
Approve my little books;
I do not care a single jot,
My fame is for my guests and not
To please my rival cooks.

Seven husbands she got,
Made away with the lot,
And has buried them all — but I know
That as you're number eight,
She has not long to wait
Before she rejoins them — below.

Here may we trace the aspect that he wore
In childhood's hour, the bud but not the flower;
His sire forbore to paint his manhood's grace,
Lest evermore grief should renew her power
Standing before that loved and silent face.

A CHAMPION in the craft that Pollux knew,
A Greek in skill, Roman in might and thew,
You share the name of Bacchus — yet 'tis true
That in the basket I received from you
No jar I found the viands to bedew
Of — you know what — your name should give the clue.

Although your wife is young and fair,
You want a father's right to share,
And that by legal fiction;
But what you want of Caesar might
Be yours of ordinary right
Beyond all contradiction.

'T IS strange that Phoebus dines night after night
With knaves whose deeds could never bear the light!

She flaunts in garments Tyrian dyed
By day and night as well,
'Tis not extravagance or pride,
Oh no — she likes the smell.

Queen of the hallowed lake, with pious care
Sabinus built thy fane that shall endure,
And long may Umbrian hillmen worship there,
Thy townsmen never yield to Baiae's lure;
If these my timid books thy favour share
My Muse shall greet thee as her fountain pure.
Say'st thou, " who gives his book to nymphs to keep
Must own their proper grave is in the deep"?

One brace of birds for Stella, one for you,
Were ready for the " Kinsman's feast" to send,
When rose before my mind a clamorous crew
Of spectres, claiming each to be my friend;
I cannot send to all, to give to two,
As I had purposed, might be to offend;
So, to oblige all round and seem impartial,
I now propose to give both brace to Martial!