The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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THE WAGTAILS DEATH & PITYS FEELINGS ON BABARITY
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
THE WAGTAILS DEATH & PITYS FEELINGS ON BABARITY
A Scene from Nature
The wise & good shall not deride
The tear in pitys eye
Tho laugh'd to scorn by sensless pride
From them it meets a sigh
The tear in pitys eye
Tho laugh'd to scorn by sensless pride
From them it meets a sigh
Compassion sees & feels & weeps
Ah feels for every pain
& pitys eye in sorrow steeps
& Mercy loves the strain
Ah feels for every pain
& pitys eye in sorrow steeps
& Mercy loves the strain
479
A wagtails toil with dabbl'd breast
By far fetch'd bit & bit
Within a rock had form'd her nest
& just prepar'd to sit
By far fetch'd bit & bit
Within a rock had form'd her nest
& just prepar'd to sit
But—fate thou surely art unkind
Such Innocence to wrong
—Such painful toil each hair to find
To warm & hatch her young
Such Innocence to wrong
—Such painful toil each hair to find
To warm & hatch her young
A cruel hawk O sad to tell
The hawks act to their kind
Found (& when rob'd) her little cell
Left her own egg behind
The hawks act to their kind
Found (& when rob'd) her little cell
Left her own egg behind
Poor bird—so friendship from deciet
Courts daggers to her breast
Affection blind to every cheat
It still endear'd her nest
Courts daggers to her breast
Affection blind to every cheat
It still endear'd her nest
The robbers charge she deems her own
How strong parental ties
The loss discovery would bemoan
This evil pledge suplies
How strong parental ties
The loss discovery would bemoan
This evil pledge suplies
When tenderest care had hatchd the fiend
—As Friends for wicked heirs
Its comforts how she toild & glean'd
Forgetfull of her cares
—As Friends for wicked heirs
Its comforts how she toild & glean'd
Forgetfull of her cares
Its gluttony with age increas'd
More savage was the cry
Nor night nor day she scarsly ceas'd
To seek the vain supply
More savage was the cry
Nor night nor day she scarsly ceas'd
To seek the vain supply
The worms & flies how would she look
Load home & off again
How—draggling pace along the brook
To give content in vain
Load home & off again
How—draggling pace along the brook
To give content in vain
480
The shocking scene approaches nigh
The feeling bosom bleeds
The tender soul has dropt a tear
Oer less inhuman deeds
The feeling bosom bleeds
The tender soul has dropt a tear
Oer less inhuman deeds
Fatig'd the little sufferer came
I think I see her still
Slav'd past her strength weak maul'd & lame
The worm was in her bill
I think I see her still
Slav'd past her strength weak maul'd & lame
The worm was in her bill
Hunger had made his nature known
The wagtail stood the prize
A step dames love no more he'll own
He pounces! & she dies
The wagtail stood the prize
A step dames love no more he'll own
He pounces! & she dies
O sad inhuman fratraside
She struggling 'neath his claws
Look'd up a mothers love & dy'd
—Hard; nature are thy laws
She struggling 'neath his claws
Look'd up a mothers love & dy'd
—Hard; nature are thy laws
Compassion reads & feels & weeps
Ah feels the every pain
& tho a wagtails sorrows sleeps
Still mercy loves the strain
Ah feels the every pain
& tho a wagtails sorrows sleeps
Still mercy loves the strain
481
& pity oft thy heart has bled
As gauling now it bleeds
& tender tears thy eyes have shed
To witness cruel deeds
As gauling now it bleeds
& tender tears thy eyes have shed
To witness cruel deeds
The lash that weald poor dobins hide
The strokes that cracking fall
On dogs dumb cringing by thy side
Ah thou hast felt them all
The strokes that cracking fall
On dogs dumb cringing by thy side
Ah thou hast felt them all
The burthen'd asses mid the laugh
To see them wipt & drove
How breath'd thy soul in their behalf
Humanity & love
To see them wipt & drove
How breath'd thy soul in their behalf
Humanity & love
E'en 'plaining flies to thee have spoke
Poor trifles as they be
& oft the spiders web thoust broke
To set the captive free
Poor trifles as they be
& oft the spiders web thoust broke
To set the captive free
The pilfering mouse entrapt & cag'd
Within the wirey grate
Thy pleading powers has oft engag'd
To mourn its rigid fate
Within the wirey grate
Thy pleading powers has oft engag'd
To mourn its rigid fate
How beat thy breast its conscious woes
To see the sparrow die
Poor little thieves of many foes
Their food they dearly buy
To see the sparrow die
Poor little thieves of many foes
Their food they dearly buy
Where nature groans where nature cries
Beneath the butchers knife
How vain how many where thy sighs
To save such guiltless life
Beneath the butchers knife
How vain how many where thy sighs
To save such guiltless life
And ah that most inhuman plan
Where reasons name ador'd
Unfriendly treatment man to man
Thy wrongs have oft deplor'd
Where reasons name ador'd
Unfriendly treatment man to man
Thy wrongs have oft deplor'd
482
& thousands more compassion weeps
& sees & weeps again
& tho a wagtails sorrow sleeps
Still Mercy loves the strain
& sees & weeps again
& tho a wagtails sorrow sleeps
Still Mercy loves the strain
Nor wise nor good shall neer deride
The tear in pitys eye
T[h]o laugh'd to scorn by sensless pride
From them it meet a sigh
The tear in pitys eye
T[h]o laugh'd to scorn by sensless pride
From them it meet a sigh
| The early poems of John Clare | |