Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems by the late Thomas Haynes Bayly; Edited by his Widow. With A Memoir of the Author. In Two Volumes |
 | I. |
| 1 |  | II. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALL HAIL TO THEE, HOARY DECEMBER!
|
|
| 1 | |
|
|
|
|
 | Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems |  |
ALL HAIL TO THEE, HOARY DECEMBER!
A DECEMBER PASTORAL.
I
All hail to thee, hoary December!All hail! (except mizzle and sleet)—
Dark month, if one half I remember,
A list of thy charms I'll repeat:
Though roses are faded, and mute is
The nightingale's song in the grove,
Thou art, among candlelight beauties,
The one of all others I love.
II
Now mulligatawny is chosenFor luncheons, both wholesome and nice;
And, Grange, thy brisk trade is quite frozen,
For nobody purchases ice!
There's ice on the Serpentine river,
Where ladies and gentlemen skate,
And whilst on the margin I shiver,
They flourish a figure of eight!
90
III
Oh come with thy thousand ingredientsFor making an exquisite feast;
Oh come with thy countless expedients
For fattening up a prize beast!
Thy cooks, whose perpetual work is
To mince meat, shall hail thy approach;
And oh, what uncommon fine turkeys
From Norwich fly up by the coach!
IV
Oh! all love December with reason;—For while Hospitality feeds
Her guests, she well knows 'tis the season
For charity's holier deeds.
And thus rich and poor have to thank it,
For gifts which impartially flow;
The pauper, when wrapp'd in his blanket,
Sighs not for a blanquette de veau.
V
Oh, come with thy Christmas vagaries,Thy harlequin pantomime jumps,
Grim ogres, and beautiful fairies,
In gossamer trousers and pumps!
Oh come with thy clownish grimaces,
Thy pantaloon practical wit;
And, tier above tier, merry faces
In gallery, boxes, and pit!
VI
Oh come with George Barnwell and Millwood,A drama of practical force,
Which, were we disposed to do ill, would
Soon make us good people of course.
Young Barnwell—the author alleges—
Got rid of his money too fast;
And, bothered with pawnbroker's pledges,
He murdered his uncle at last!
91
VII
Come hither with fun and with folly,Bring icicle gems on thy brow,
The bright coral beads of the holly,
And pearls from the mistletoe bough.
Oh come with thy shining apparel,
Thy robe like the snow on the hill;
And come above all, with a barrel
Of something to take off the chill!
| Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems | |