Short Poems

All in this pleasant evening, together come are we,
For the summer springs so fresh, green, and gay;
We tell you of a blossoming and buds on every tree,
Drawing near unto the merry month of May.

All I said was—Alexis is gorgeous. Now
Everyone stares, ogles him everywhere.
Dear heart, why show the dogs a bone? You'll care
Later. Remember? Phaidros went that way too.

Algy met a bear,
The bear was bulgy,
The bulge was Algy.

A LAS for the South! Her books grow fewer —
She was never much given to literature.

Alas! deceite that in truste is nowe,
Duble as Fortune, turning as a balle,
Brotylle at assay like the roten bowe:
Who trusteth to trust is redy for to falle.
Suche gyle is in trust almost overalle
That in pointe a man no frende finde shalle:
Wherfore, beware of trust, after my devise!
Trust to thyselfe, and lerne to be wise.

The foure Elements in Newfound-land To the Worshipful Captaine John Mason, who did wisely and worthily governe there divers yeeres.

The Aire, in Newfound-Land is wholesome, good;
The Fire, as sweet as any made of wood;
The Waters, very rich, both salt and fresh;
The Earth more rich, you know it is not lesse
Where all are good, Fire, Water, Earth, and Aire ,
What man made of these foure would not live there?

Ah Bounce! ah gentle Beast! why wouldst thou dye,
When thou hadst Meat enough and Orrery?

Ah blackbird, giving thanks,
From your nest in the thorn . . . Hermit
that use no bell: soft, sweet,
From the otherworld, your whistle!

After surmounting three-score and ten,
With all their chances, changes, losses, sorrows,
My parents' deaths, the vagaries of my life, the many tearing passions of me, the war of '63 and '64,
As some old broken soldier, after a long, hot, wearying march, or haply after battle,
To-day at twilight, hobbling, answering company roll-call, Here , with vital voice,
Reporting yet, saluting yet the Officer over all.

Abbot is painting me so true,
That (trust me) you would stare,
And hardly know, at the first view,
If I were here, or there.