 | The harp and plow |  |
LINES TO A BEE.
Thou'rt weary, busy little thing!
Thy load is large, and small thy wing;
And then to give that Highland fling
As you alighted!
No wonder you displayed your sting
Before you righted.
Thy load is large, and small thy wing;
And then to give that Highland fling
As you alighted!
No wonder you displayed your sting
Before you righted.
All things have failings, so we see;
E'en thou who art, as all agree,
The very soul of industry,
And else of merit,
Art tempered like the very De---,
Nay, Evil Spirit.
E'en thou who art, as all agree,
The very soul of industry,
And else of merit,
Art tempered like the very De---,
Nay, Evil Spirit.
96
When morning opes her brightening eye,
Thou scan'st the aspect of the sky,
And if no murky storm be nigh
Or tempest hover,
Your tiny wings are spread to fly
To fields of clover.
Thou scan'st the aspect of the sky,
And if no murky storm be nigh
Or tempest hover,
Your tiny wings are spread to fly
To fields of clover.
There, busy through the live long day,
You cull your sweets and bear away;
And though for miles abroad you stray,
Ne'er lost in straying;
Thou art for straightness in survey
A common saying.
You cull your sweets and bear away;
And though for miles abroad you stray,
Ne'er lost in straying;
Thou art for straightness in survey
A common saying.
From bees man may a lesson draw
In order, government, and law;
No law he ever framed that saw,
Of time, the tithe
Of that which back to chaos raw
Has marked the hive.
In order, government, and law;
No law he ever framed that saw,
Of time, the tithe
Of that which back to chaos raw
Has marked the hive.
No change your government has made
Since bees at first their taste displayed,
Nor shall new laws derange your trade,
Ye sweet distillers!
Till earth and bees at rest are laid
By fire or Millers.
Since bees at first their taste displayed,
Nor shall new laws derange your trade,
Ye sweet distillers!
Till earth and bees at rest are laid
By fire or Millers.
Fixed in one course, you firm abide;
And, though all patriotic pride,
You never boast you've bled and died
To save your nation;
Then come to life and long preside
In some fat station;
And, though all patriotic pride,
97
To save your nation;
Then come to life and long preside
In some fat station;
But let a foe invade your ground,
And hark! how fierce the warriors sound!
No lack of practice either's found—
All seek the fight;
And he who 'd face the vollied round
You'll put to flight.
And hark! how fierce the warriors sound!
No lack of practice either's found—
All seek the fight;
And he who 'd face the vollied round
You'll put to flight.
E'en Samson, whose strong arm refused
No giant deed, upon you mused;
But still I'm thinking he abused
You grossly, sonny;
Some foul chicanery he used
To get your honey.
No giant deed, upon you mused;
But still I'm thinking he abused
You grossly, sonny;
Some foul chicanery he used
To get your honey.
O, could old Sloth thy habits know!
Could Uncle Sam thy wisdom show,
How round his public purse would grow!
How deep his pocket!
How would his Loco-motive go
Ahead, like Crocket!
Could Uncle Sam thy wisdom show,
How round his public purse would grow!
How deep his pocket!
How would his Loco-motive go
Ahead, like Crocket!
| The harp and plow | |