Lines in Pleasant Places Rhythmics of many moods and quantities. Wise and otherwise |
 |
AQUEOUS INSPIRATION.
|
 |
|
|
|
 | Lines in Pleasant Places |  |
104
AQUEOUS INSPIRATION.
Here met at meat, as meet it surely is,
To crown the day with festive gratulation,
There's gladness beaming from each open phiz,
And every voice gives note of exultation.
To crown the day with festive gratulation,
There's gladness beaming from each open phiz,
And every voice gives note of exultation.
Those smile who win, and we a prize have won—
Fortune has favored us who rightly sought her;
Her blessing comes upon us by the run,
Like emigrants from Ireland, by water.
Fortune has favored us who rightly sought her;
Her blessing comes upon us by the run,
Like emigrants from Ireland, by water.
It comes to us as did the crystal stream,
When Moses struck the rock to squelch the doubters,
Dispelling every dubitative dream,
And proving the most eloquent of spouters.
When Moses struck the rock to squelch the doubters,
Dispelling every dubitative dream,
And proving the most eloquent of spouters.
And as that stream poured o'er the land of Sin,
A health-imparting, Jew-reviving river,
So, sinners, we the comer welcome in,
And bless the gift, and praise the bounteous Giver.
A health-imparting, Jew-reviving river,
So, sinners, we the comer welcome in,
And bless the gift, and praise the bounteous Giver.
105
Our Horeb, though remote, yet at the nod
Of public will, the water here discloses,
And each committee-man has plied his rod,
And every one has proved himself a Moses.
Of public will, the water here discloses,
And each committee-man has plied his rod,
And every one has proved himself a Moses.
A modern miracle is theirs, I ween
—Howe'er regarded, it is nothing shorter—
For they have with a necromancy keen
Tapped us “Old Medford” and produced pure water.
—Howe'er regarded, it is nothing shorter—
For they have with a necromancy keen
Tapped us “Old Medford” and produced pure water.
[OMITTED]
A paradox in this event I claim,
Worthy of philosophical inquiring:
How water, used to subjugate a flame,
Should thus and here each Chelsea heart be firing!
Worthy of philosophical inquiring:
How water, used to subjugate a flame,
Should thus and here each Chelsea heart be firing!
And every one has water on the brain—
A hydrocephalus of subtlest action;
But here comes in a paradox again:
'Tis hard to bear,—but, water satisfaction!
A hydrocephalus of subtlest action;
But here comes in a paradox again:
'Tis hard to bear,—but, water satisfaction!
We give our tribute to this marriage day
—May not a thought offensive come to dim it!—
When the fair Mystic gives herself away,
In nuptial bonds to gallant Winnisimmet.
—May not a thought offensive come to dim it!—
When the fair Mystic gives herself away,
In nuptial bonds to gallant Winnisimmet.
And here about the festal board we meet
To taste the customary fixings bridal,
To wash them down with crystal water sweet,
And pledge the knot just tied in fluid tidal.
To taste the customary fixings bridal,
To wash them down with crystal water sweet,
And pledge the knot just tied in fluid tidal.
106
No airs convivial are these we breathe—
Fraught with the odor of inebriation;
No toddy blossoms round our glasses wreathe,
And not a nose gives vinous indication.
Fraught with the odor of inebriation;
No toddy blossoms round our glasses wreathe,
And not a nose gives vinous indication.
Up to the brim we fill our “flowing bowls,”
But heeding wise old Solomon's injunction,
We'll not in lengthy draughts eclipse our souls,
Nor mar our pedal's locomotive functions.
But heeding wise old Solomon's injunction,
We'll not in lengthy draughts eclipse our souls,
Nor mar our pedal's locomotive functions.
This is a drink that ne'er intoxicates—
At least, those say so, who have always tried it;
A little of it somehow satiates,
When folks have nothing else to drink beside it.
At least, those say so, who have always tried it;
A little of it somehow satiates,
When folks have nothing else to drink beside it.
'Tis said by some one who has doubtless tried,
And drank the fluid with the greatest profit,
That though one quaff with thirst intensified,
There's not a headache in a hogshead of it.
And drank the fluid with the greatest profit,
That though one quaff with thirst intensified,
There's not a headache in a hogshead of it.
[OMITTED]
Ah, what a living joy this day awakes!
And woman stands enfranchised and elated;
No more forever called to man the brakes,
To which, by destiny, she has been fated.
And woman stands enfranchised and elated;
No more forever called to man the brakes,
To which, by destiny, she has been fated.
The “Norman
conquest” makes her free indeed—
She sees the crown of all her earthly wishes;
To bathe in tumblers there's no longer need,
Nor need of scant baptism of the dishes.
She sees the crown of all her earthly wishes;
To bathe in tumblers there's no longer need,
Nor need of scant baptism of the dishes.
107
Forth to her hand out pours the grateful stream—
Flows forth to make her former toil diversion;
Changing the current of her weary dream,
A convert now from sprinkling to immersion!
Flows forth to make her former toil diversion;
Changing the current of her weary dream,
A convert now from sprinkling to immersion!
But Mr. Increase Slow puts down his cane—
A stout opponent of these innovations;
“Let washerwomen catch the falling rain;
Our wells are well enough for all occasions.
A stout opponent of these innovations;
“Let washerwomen catch the falling rain;
Our wells are well enough for all occasions.
“And then our streets are all dug up and down,
And 'neath our feet an anaconda bedded,
Demoralizing all our ways in town,
And springing up a monster hydrant-headed.
And 'neath our feet an anaconda bedded,
Demoralizing all our ways in town,
And springing up a monster hydrant-headed.
“Talk of your water's sanitary wealth!
That men should do this is a thing surprising:
A pump's the best auxiliary of health,
And keeps us ruddy with its exercising!”
That men should do this is a thing surprising:
A pump's the best auxiliary of health,
And keeps us ruddy with its exercising!”
I asked a big Milesian, t'other day,
What grave he digged beneath our city pavement.”
He leaned a bit upon his spade to say,
“Of Fogyism, sir, and shmall beravement.”
What grave he digged beneath our city pavement.”
He leaned a bit upon his spade to say,
“Of Fogyism, sir, and shmall beravement.”
There is a queer old fellow in our land—
Vox Populi, by name, and he's a grand 'un;
He sets the Slows aside on every hand,
Nor leaves 'em scarce a single peg to stand on.
Vox Populi, by name, and he's a grand 'un;
He sets the Slows aside on every hand,
Nor leaves 'em scarce a single peg to stand on.
108
They growl and fret, and fume, and prophesy,
And make essay to stop the ball in motion;
When down upon 'em comes Vox Populi,
And off they go like straws upon the ocean;
And make essay to stop the ball in motion;
When down upon 'em comes Vox Populi,
And off they go like straws upon the ocean;
Or, like some thistle that has stoutly tost,
In fierce resistance to the passing wind,
Beneath the power of the early Frost,
It fades, nor leaves a single trace behind.
In fierce resistance to the passing wind,
Beneath the power of the early Frost,
It fades, nor leaves a single trace behind.
[OMITTED]
O Water! sung and praised in many a line,
We hail thy pleasant advent here among us;
We see thy presence in the daylight shine,
As beauteous as the thought that hope has sung us.
We hail thy pleasant advent here among us;
We see thy presence in the daylight shine,
As beauteous as the thought that hope has sung us.
We hear the music of the Naiad's laugh
In gushing fount and Mystic (water) metre,
We feel an exaltation as we quaff,
And than rare wine we own its taste is sweeter.
In gushing fount and Mystic (water) metre,
We feel an exaltation as we quaff,
And than rare wine we own its taste is sweeter.
We give our lays, like water-fowls, and sing,
In inspiration jubilant or witty,
And all our pipes in one accord will ring
In water's praise, and praise of the committee.
In inspiration jubilant or witty,
And all our pipes in one accord will ring
In water's praise, and praise of the committee.
| Lines in Pleasant Places | |