 | [Poems by Stoddard in] James Lorimer Graham, Jr. January 17th. 1894 |  |
8
[“Every book must have a name]
“Every book must have a name,
Meaning much or meaning little;
This of course must have the same:
Let me see,—
What shall it be?
I have hit it, to a tittle:
(Fellow authors be not jealous,)
'T is ‘Ye Booke of ye Goode Fellowes.’
Not a man shall figure here,
(Soon you'll see a score appear,)
Be his talent what it will,
With the pencil, or the quill,
Old or young, or crude or mellow,
An he be not a good fellow!
Meaning much or meaning little;
This of course must have the same:
Let me see,—
What shall it be?
I have hit it, to a tittle:
(Fellow authors be not jealous,)
'T is ‘Ye Booke of ye Goode Fellowes.’
9
(Soon you'll see a score appear,)
Be his talent what it will,
With the pencil, or the quill,
Old or young, or crude or mellow,
An he be not a good fellow!
Turn the leaves, and you will see
Such a goodly company:—
Poets, with their careless lines,
(Made beforehand every one!)
Artists, with their quaint designs,
Future pictures here begun;
Critics, (spare me, dreadful men!)—
Masters of the Brush and Pen.
Some are famous now, and some
Will be in the years to come;
(Poets can the future tell us,)
And all—the very best good fellows.”
Such a goodly company:—
Poets, with their careless lines,
(Made beforehand every one!)
Artists, with their quaint designs,
Future pictures here begun;
Critics, (spare me, dreadful men!)—
Masters of the Brush and Pen.
Some are famous now, and some
Will be in the years to come;
(Poets can the future tell us,)
And all—the very best good fellows.”
34
To James Lorimer Graham, Jr.
Now that the hallowed Christmas eve is near,When we must meet, as we are wont to do,
I would give something, if but thanks, to you,
At least the beggar's blessing of a tear.
I made some verse for you a year ago,
Which you, in losing, rated at its worth:
Take it again, with this of later birth,
Scribbled, as that was, while my fire was low.
Let both remind you I have not forgot
What you and yours have done for me and mine:
The little one, who bears your honored name,
And she who shares in patience my hard lot:
Ah! would I knew to frame the mighty line
Should blazon your worth, and make your kindness Fame!
(Christmas Eve, 1865.)
| [Poems by Stoddard in] James Lorimer Graham, Jr. January 17th. 1894 | |