Fables in Song By Robert Lord Lytton |
 | I. |
 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. | XXVI.
DE PROFUNDIS. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| II. |
 | Fables in Song |  |
178
XXVI. DE PROFUNDIS.
“Ah had but Nature granted wings to me,
How would I soar and hover in sweet air,
Soon from this stagnant element set free,
Free from this dull despair!”
How would I soar and hover in sweet air,
Soon from this stagnant element set free,
Free from this dull despair!”
Thus, at the bottom of his native pond,
Where o'er him wander'd thro' the weedy drench
The shadows of bright birds above, beyond,
Gurgled a tiny Tench.
Where o'er him wander'd thro' the weedy drench
The shadows of bright birds above, beyond,
Gurgled a tiny Tench.
“Fool!” lisp'd an old fat Carp, with belly cool,
Couch'd in calm mud, “Of what dost thou complain?
Fins hast thou. Swim. Enjoy this pleasant pool.
Wishes are ways to pain.”
Couch'd in calm mud, “Of what dost thou complain?
Fins hast thou. Swim. Enjoy this pleasant pool.
Wishes are ways to pain.”
“Nay,” sigh'd the Tench, “doth the Almighty Whale
Plague us with wishes, only to deny 'em?
Oh but for wings!”—“Stuff worms, and stop thy wail,”
The Carp said, “Carpe diem!”
Plague us with wishes, only to deny 'em?
Oh but for wings!”—“Stuff worms, and stop thy wail,”
The Carp said, “Carpe diem!”
179
“Deadly for such as thou and such as I
The air above! Thou could'st not breathe in it.”
“Yet,” said the Tench, “methinks I have seen fly,
Or, if not fly, still flit
The air above! Thou could'st not breathe in it.”
“Yet,” said the Tench, “methinks I have seen fly,
Or, if not fly, still flit
“Almost like flying, fishes such as we,
Or such as we with added gift of flight.
Fishes, methinks, of genius they must be,
That love and live i' the light!”
Or such as we with added gift of flight.
Fishes, methinks, of genius they must be,
That love and live i' the light!”
“Ay,” carp'd the Carp, and slapp'd with surly tail
The sullen ooze, disturbing dormant stench,
“Fools such as thou be they, as fond, as frail,
Wingless and wishful Tench!
The sullen ooze, disturbing dormant stench,
“Fools such as thou be they, as fond, as frail,
Wingless and wishful Tench!
“And such as theirs will be the end some day
Of thy star-gazing, if vouchsafed thy wish.
For fishes out of water, what are they?
Neither flesh, fowl, nor fish!
Of thy star-gazing, if vouchsafed thy wish.
For fishes out of water, what are they?
Neither flesh, fowl, nor fish!
“They from their natural element ascend,
Drawn by a hook: at that hook's end, a string:
At that string's end a rod: at that rod's end
Death. And the quivering
Drawn by a hook: at that hook's end, a string:
At that string's end a rod: at that rod's end
Death. And the quivering
“Thou takest for the thrill of inspiration,
Is but the agony of idiots hook'd,
The victims of their own imagination,
Fisht-for, and caught,—then cook'd.
Is but the agony of idiots hook'd,
The victims of their own imagination,
Fisht-for, and caught,—then cook'd.
180
“Keep thou the bottom of the pond. Even that
With cause for caution (curse the pike!) is rife.
Fatten thyself, not others. To grow fat
Is the fit end of life.”
With cause for caution (curse the pike!) is rife.
Fatten thyself, not others. To grow fat
Is the fit end of life.”
Sage was the counsel of the Carp. And yet
Himself soon after (for the time was Lent)
Being too lazy to escape the net,
Was in it caught, and went
Himself soon after (for the time was Lent)
Being too lazy to escape the net,
Was in it caught, and went
To fatten the plump Prior. The same dish
Held the small Tench. And him the Sacristan
Cramm'd his lean crop with. Sage or simple, fish
Come to the frying-pan.
Held the small Tench. And him the Sacristan
Cramm'd his lean crop with. Sage or simple, fish
Come to the frying-pan.
| Fables in Song | |