Short Poems

Perception of an object costs
Precise the Object's loss —
Perception in itself a Gain
Replying to its Price —
The Object Absolute — is nought —
Perception sets it fair
And then upbraids a Perfectness
That situates so far —

Steddefast cross, inmong alle other
Thou art a tree mikel of prise;
In braunche and flowre swilk another
I ne wot non in wode no rise.
Swete be the nailes, and swete be the tree,
And sweter be the birden that hanges upon thee.

Phillips! whose touch harmonious could remove
The pangs of guilty pow'r and hapless love,
Rest here, distressed by poverty no more,
Here find that calm thou gav'st so oft before;
Sleep undisturbed within this peaceful shrine,
Till angels wake thee with a note like thine.

Peter and Michael were two little menikin,
They kept a cock and a fat little henikin;
Instead of an egg, it laid a gold penikin,
Oh, how they wish it would do it againikin!

Pease-pudding hot.
Pease-pudding cold,
Pease-pudding in the pot,
Nine days old.
Some like it hot,
Some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot,
Nine days old.

Peace maketh plenty;
Plenty maketh pride;
Pride maketh plea;
Plea maketh povert;
Povert maketh peace.

A skilfull hand this Satyre made so near
To life, that only Breath is wanting here:
I am attendant to the Nymphs; before
I fill'd out purple wine, now water powre;
Who ere thou art com'st nigh, tread softly, lest
You waken Love out of his pleasing rest.

Pale Ebenezer thought it wrong to fight,
But Roaring Bill (who killed him) thought it right.

Paddy, I have but stol'n your living,
And call'd you names beside:
Why are not you content and thankful,
If I am satisfied?
As I have done, so did my father,
And full of peace he died.

Out of the western chaparral
Where the raw, new highways run,
He flashes swift as a rainbow flame
And races the morning sun.
He perks and preens with lifted crest,
He dances, heel and toe.
He will jig and flirt in the roadway dirt —
Then — off like a shot he'll go.