 | A Flight of Fancies |  |
133
THE QUARREL
Over fields of growing bread
Bluest heavens were spread.
On the pond a duck was floating,
In the tree a thrush was noting
What her husband said.
Bluest heavens were spread.
On the pond a duck was floating,
In the tree a thrush was noting
What her husband said.
When, beside a bush of laurel,
Ruth and Jim began to quarrel,
Half the brightness of the day
Seemed at once to pass away.
'Twas as if a cloud were spread
Over fields of infant bread;
'Twas as if a gloomy duck
Grumbled at his want of luck.
What had been a major key
Changed to minor in the tree,
Since the bird, becoming sad,
Cried that all the eggs were bad!
Ruth and Jim began to quarrel,
Half the brightness of the day
Seemed at once to pass away.
'Twas as if a cloud were spread
Over fields of infant bread;
'Twas as if a gloomy duck
Grumbled at his want of luck.
What had been a major key
Changed to minor in the tree,
Since the bird, becoming sad,
Cried that all the eggs were bad!
Suddenly the heart of Ruth
Ran from Temper back to Truth
Just when Jim, extremely red,
Blushed for what his tongue had said.
So, beside the bush of laurel,
Love again defeated Quarrel,
Using, to make sure of this,
Sob and hug and violent kiss!
Uncle Hilary let down
All the wrinkles of his frown;
Never, never had the wheat
More enjoyed a meal of heat;
Seemingly the duckling pressed
Ripples off a braver chest,
Loudly hearing, while he paddled,
That, so far from being addled,
All the eggs deserved to be
Honoured in a major key.
Ran from Temper back to Truth
Just when Jim, extremely red,
Blushed for what his tongue had said.
134
Love again defeated Quarrel,
Using, to make sure of this,
Sob and hug and violent kiss!
Uncle Hilary let down
All the wrinkles of his frown;
Never, never had the wheat
More enjoyed a meal of heat;
Seemingly the duckling pressed
Ripples off a braver chest,
Loudly hearing, while he paddled,
That, so far from being addled,
All the eggs deserved to be
Honoured in a major key.
| A Flight of Fancies | |