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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MY LAST SHILLING |
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
52
MY LAST SHILLING
O dismal disaster! O troublesome lot!
What a heart rending theme for my musing Ive got
Then pray whats the matter? O friend I'm not willing
The thought grieves me sore
Now I'm drove to the shore
And must I then spend the last shilling the shilling
And must I then spend the last shilling
What a heart rending theme for my musing Ive got
Then pray whats the matter? O friend I'm not willing
The thought grieves me sore
Now I'm drove to the shore
And must I then spend the last shilling the shilling
And must I then spend the last shilling
O painful reflection thou whole of my store
That for these three months in my breeches I've wore
To spend thee, to spend thee, that thought turns me chilling
O must I in spight
Of all reason this night
A Farwell bid to my last shilling my shilling
A Farwell bid to my last shilling
That for these three months in my breeches I've wore
To spend thee, to spend thee, that thought turns me chilling
O must I in spight
Of all reason this night
A Farwell bid to my last shilling my shilling
A Farwell bid to my last shilling
How oft in my corner I've troubl'd my pate
First mournd at my shilling and then at my fate
To think the gay world all a sporting and billing
While I must endure
The sad pain past a cure
Of being drain'd to my very last shilling my shilling
Of Being draind to my very last shilling
First mournd at my shilling and then at my fate
To think the gay world all a sporting and billing
While I must endure
The sad pain past a cure
Of being drain'd to my very last shilling my shilling
Of Being draind to my very last shilling
53
O coudst thou but answer dear whole of my store
I'd ask thee a Question:—thus friendles and poor
Whether thou would to leave me be willing
Or wether it still
Would be more to thy will
To stay and be call'd my last shilling my shilling
To stay and be call'd my last sh[i]lling
I'd ask thee a Question:—thus friendles and poor
Whether thou would to leave me be willing
Or wether it still
Would be more to thy will
To stay and be call'd my last shilling my shilling
To stay and be call'd my last sh[i]lling
Thou scourse of reflection my friend and my all
For now Im left friendles thou sticks to thy stall
And thro each vexing trouble seems cheary and willing
Thee to keep I'll contrive
Or Im sure I sha'n't thrive
If ever I spend such a shilling a shilling
If ever I spend such a shilling
For now Im left friendles thou sticks to thy stall
And thro each vexing trouble seems cheary and willing
Thee to keep I'll contrive
Or Im sure I sha'n't thrive
If ever I spend such a shilling a shilling
If ever I spend such a shilling
Then my only companion stick true to the breeches
And wear this old pockett thread bare to the stiches
For ever to keep thee Im certainly willing
For who knows but what thou
Tho' Im drove to shore now
May turn out a lucky last shilling last shilling
May turn out a lu[c]ky last shilling
And wear this old pockett thread bare to the stiches
For ever to keep thee Im certainly willing
For who knows but what thou
Tho' Im drove to shore now
May turn out a lucky last shilling last shilling
May turn out a lu[c]ky last shilling
| The early poems of John Clare | |