 | The harp and plow |  |
106
THE TROUT UPON THE SHALLOWS.
One morn I strayed the brook beside,
Where leafless stood the willows,
And looking in the stream I spied
A trout upon the shallows.
Where leafless stood the willows,
And looking in the stream I spied
A trout upon the shallows.
It writhed, it struggled, and it turned;
In vain its fins were flying;
The kindling sun in heaven burned—
The hapless fish was dying.
In vain its fins were flying;
The kindling sun in heaven burned—
The hapless fish was dying.
So musingly I passed along,
With feelings touched with pity;
And pity lastly moved a song,
And moral marked the ditty:
With feelings touched with pity;
And pity lastly moved a song,
And moral marked the ditty:
When man on pleasure's stream sets sail,
And fortune blows her bellows,
How soon the fickle stream may fail
And leave him on the shallows!
And fortune blows her bellows,
How soon the fickle stream may fail
And leave him on the shallows!
107
When riches leave their owners here,
And vanish like the swallows,
How many buy the knowledge dear
That wealth is full of shallows!
And vanish like the swallows,
How many buy the knowledge dear
That wealth is full of shallows!
When politicians prate and preach,
And office-taking follows,
Too late ‘the people’ see their speech
Was babbled over shallows.
And office-taking follows,
Too late ‘the people’ see their speech
Was babbled over shallows.
When zeal expires that used to burn,
And hearts grow cold and callous,
How often are we pained to learn
Religion has its shallows!
And hearts grow cold and callous,
How often are we pained to learn
Religion has its shallows!
Then some with bards and wits would vie;—
Poor, thoughtless, brainless fellows;
How oft before their ink is dry
They're fast upon the shallows!
Poor, thoughtless, brainless fellows;
How oft before their ink is dry
They're fast upon the shallows!
And, reader, hast thou seen a man
Expire upon the gallows?
'T was just, perhaps, but justice can
And justice does have shallows.
Expire upon the gallows?
'T was just, perhaps, but justice can
And justice does have shallows.
What hideous vice concealed from view,
In wealth and honor wallows,
Which, giving justice half its due,
Would wriggle on the shallows!
In wealth and honor wallows,
Which, giving justice half its due,
Would wriggle on the shallows!
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