 | Poems |  |
132
THE BULL.
The plaudits shake the circus round.
No “sluggard” has the Bull been found.
Three gallant steeds he swiftly gores,
And pushes hard the picadores;
In one mad sweep the chulos drives
Over the barrier for their lives;
And, tail outstretched and head low-bowed,
Fierce nucleus of a dusty cloud,
Flies round the orbit free of check,
Stung by the bandarillas in his neck.
No “sluggard” has the Bull been found.
Three gallant steeds he swiftly gores,
And pushes hard the picadores;
In one mad sweep the chulos drives
Over the barrier for their lives;
And, tail outstretched and head low-bowed,
Fierce nucleus of a dusty cloud,
Flies round the orbit free of check,
Stung by the bandarillas in his neck.
What strikes the crowd with such amaze,
And more intensifies their gaze?—
One soft low whistle has the force
To curb the monster in his course!
From the seats a rustic stranger
Vaults into the ring of danger,
Mildly calls the Bull by name,
“Bell' Azufre!”—never came
A lamb more meekly to a child
Than to his friend this brute so strong and wild.
And more intensifies their gaze?—
One soft low whistle has the force
To curb the monster in his course!
133
Vaults into the ring of danger,
Mildly calls the Bull by name,
“Bell' Azufre!”—never came
A lamb more meekly to a child
Than to his friend this brute so strong and wild.
Joined in a gentle group they stand;
The fierce Bull licks the herdsman's hand,
Whose other strokes his shivering ear,
And soothes away his rage and fear,
Till with a low, contented moan
He lays his tortured body down,
And of the mountain pasture dreams,
And of the free and cool Sierra streams.
The fierce Bull licks the herdsman's hand,
Whose other strokes his shivering ear,
And soothes away his rage and fear,
Till with a low, contented moan
He lays his tortured body down,
And of the mountain pasture dreams,
And of the free and cool Sierra streams.
A passing ruth the audience share:
The simple herdsman could not bear
His favourite's pangs, and thus hath sought
The old friend's side, distrusting nought,—
Trusting the faithful beast aright,
Whose rankling pain, tumultuous fright,
Mocked despair, revengeful rage,
The well-known voice could in a breath assuage.
The simple herdsman could not bear
His favourite's pangs, and thus hath sought
The old friend's side, distrusting nought,—
Trusting the faithful beast aright,
Whose rankling pain, tumultuous fright,
Mocked despair, revengeful rage,
The well-known voice could in a breath assuage.
134
Is it not so? Ah shame, not so!
This is a portion of the show—
Contrived a novel zest to bring
To the arena's bloody ring.
A luxury has been found at length;
Besides his courage and his strength
The brute's affection's bought and sold
To help the pastime, for some bits of gold!
This is a portion of the show—
Contrived a novel zest to bring
To the arena's bloody ring.
A luxury has been found at length;
Besides his courage and his strength
The brute's affection's bought and sold
To help the pastime, for some bits of gold!
New plaudits shake the circus round.
The Bull is startled by the sound:
Remembering all the wrong and pain,
He plunges to his feet again,—
Whirls his master over his head.
“Madre Santa! he is sped!”
In air a purse drops from his breast
And falls before him to the trampled dust.
The Bull is startled by the sound:
Remembering all the wrong and pain,
He plunges to his feet again,—
Whirls his master over his head.
“Madre Santa! he is sped!”
In air a purse drops from his breast
And falls before him to the trampled dust.
Din springs up and swift commotion,
As on laughing tropic ocean
May a wild tornado strike.
Brilliant chulos, leopard-like,
Bound in to the herdsman's aid.
Too late. He now is both ways paid.
—Might all that true love falsely sell
Make sure of being recompensed as well!
As on laughing tropic ocean
May a wild tornado strike.
Brilliant chulos, leopard-like,
Bound in to the herdsman's aid.
Too late. He now is both ways paid.
135
Make sure of being recompensed as well!
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