 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
17
MY FAMILIAR.
“Ecce iterum Crispinus!”
I.
Again I hear that creaking step!—He 's rapping at the door!—
Too well I know the boding sound
That ushers in a bore.
I do not tremble when I meet
The stoutest of my foes,
But Heaven defend me from the friend
Who comes—but never goes!
II.
He drops into my easy-chair,And asks about the news;
He peers into my manuscript,
And gives his candid views;
He tells me where he likes the line,
And where he 's forced to grieve;
He takes the strangest liberties,—
But never takes his leave!
III.
He reads my daily paper throughBefore I 've seen a word;
He scans the lyric (that I wrote)
And thinks it quite absurd;
He calmly smokes my last cigar,
And coolly asks for more;
He opens everything he sees—
Except the entry door!
IV.
He talks about his fragile health,And tells me of the pains
He suffers from a score of ills
Of which he ne'er complains;
And how he struggled once with death
To keep the fiend at bay;
On themes like those away he goes,—
But never goes away!
V.
He tells me of the carping wordsSome shallow critic wrote;
And every precious paragraph
Familiarly can quote;
He thinks the writer did me wrong;
He 'd like to run him through!
He says a thousand pleasant things,—
But never says, “Adieu!”
VI.
Whene'er he comes,—that dreadful man,—Disguise it as I may,
I know that, like an Autumn rain,
He'll last throughout the day.
In vain I speak of urgent tasks;
In vain I scowl and pout;
A frown is no extinguisher,—
It does not put him out!
VII.
I mean to take the knocker off,Put crape upon the door,
Or hint to John that I am gone
To stay a month or more.
I do not tremble when I meet
The stoutest of my foes,
But Heaven defend me from the friend
Who never, never goes!
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |