The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe Household Edition : with illustrations |
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“DO YOU THINK HE IS MARRIED?” |
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 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
“DO YOU THINK HE IS MARRIED?”
Madam,—you are very pressing,
And I can't decline the task;
With the slightest gift of guessing,
You would scarcely need to ask.
And I can't decline the task;
With the slightest gift of guessing,
You would scarcely need to ask.
Don't you see a hint of marriage
In his sober-sided face?
In his rather careless carriage,
And extremely rapid pace?
In his sober-sided face?
In his rather careless carriage,
And extremely rapid pace?
If he 's not committed treason,
Or some wicked action done,
Can you see the faintest reason
Why a bachelor should run?
Or some wicked action done,
Can you see the faintest reason
Why a bachelor should run?
Why should he be in a flurry?
But a loving wife to greet
Is a circumstance to hurry
The most dignified of feet.
But a loving wife to greet
Is a circumstance to hurry
The most dignified of feet.
When afar the man has spied her,
If the grateful, happy elf
Does not haste to be beside her,
He must be beside himself!
If the grateful, happy elf
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He must be beside himself!
It is but a trifle, maybe,—
But observe his practiced tone,
When he calms your stormy baby,
Just as if it were his own!
But observe his practiced tone,
When he calms your stormy baby,
Just as if it were his own!
Do you think a certain meekness
You have mentioned in his looks
Is a chronic optic weakness
That has come of reading books?
You have mentioned in his looks
Is a chronic optic weakness
That has come of reading books?
Did you ever see his vision
Peering underneath a hood,
Save enough for recognition,
As a civil person should?
Peering underneath a hood,
Save enough for recognition,
As a civil person should?
Could a Capuchin be colder
When he glances, as he must,
At a finely rounded shoulder,
Or a proudly swelling bust?
When he glances, as he must,
At a finely rounded shoulder,
Or a proudly swelling bust?
Madam, think of every feature,
Then deny it, if you can,
He 's a fond connubial creature,
And a very married man!
Then deny it, if you can,
He 's a fond connubial creature,
And a very married man!
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |