The political and occasional poems of Winthrop Mackworth Praed Edited, with notes, by Sir George Young |
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 | The political and occasional poems of Winthrop Mackworth Praed |  |
185
XIX. PLUS DE POLITIQUE.
“Je n' en parlerai plus.”—de Béranger.
No politics! I cannot bear
To tell our ancient fame;
No politics! I do not dare
To paint our present shame.
What we have been, what we must be,
Let other minstrels say;
It is too dark a theme for me:
No politics to-day!
To tell our ancient fame;
No politics! I do not dare
To paint our present shame.
186
Let other minstrels say;
It is too dark a theme for me:
No politics to-day!
I loved to see the captive's chain
By British hands burst through;
I loved to sing the fields of Spain,
The war of Waterloo,
But now the Russian's greedy swords
Are edged with English pay;
We help—we hire the robber hordes:
No politics to-day!
By British hands burst through;
I loved to sing the fields of Spain,
The war of Waterloo,
But now the Russian's greedy swords
Are edged with English pay;
We help—we hire the robber hordes:
No politics to-day!
I used to look on many a home
Of industry and art;
I gazed on pleasure's gorgeous dome,
On labour's busy mart:
From Derby's rows, from Bristol's fires,
I turn with tears away;
I can't admire what Brougham admires:
No politics to-day!
Of industry and art;
I gazed on pleasure's gorgeous dome,
On labour's busy mart:
From Derby's rows, from Bristol's fires,
I turn with tears away;
I can't admire what Brougham admires:
No politics to-day!
I've often heard the faithless French
Denounced by William Pitt;
I've watched the flash, from this same bench,
Of Canning's polished wit;
And when your Woods and Waithmans brawl,
Your Humes and Harveys bray—
Good Lord! I'm weary of them all!
No politics to-day!
Denounced by William Pitt;
I've watched the flash, from this same bench,
Of Canning's polished wit;
187
Your Humes and Harveys bray—
Good Lord! I'm weary of them all!
No politics to-day!
Let's talk of Coplestone and prayers,
Of Kitchiner and pies,
Of Lady Sophonisba's airs,
Of Lady Susan's eyes;
Let's talk of Mr. Attwood's cause,
Of Mr. Pocock's play—
Of fiddles—bubbles—rattles—straws!
No politics to-day!
Of Kitchiner and pies,
Of Lady Sophonisba's airs,
Of Lady Susan's eyes;
Let's talk of Mr. Attwood's cause,
Of Mr. Pocock's play—
Of fiddles—bubbles—rattles—straws!
No politics to-day!
| The political and occasional poems of Winthrop Mackworth Praed | |