 | [Poems by Wilde in] Richard Henry Wilde |  |
WHO KNOWS?
“Die liebste unter allen Gestirnen. Wann ich Nachts von dir gang, wie ich aus dienen Thore trat, stand er gegen mir über: mit welcher Trunkenheit habe ich ihn oft angesehen! Oft mit aufgehobenen Händen ihn zum Zeichen, zum heiligen Merkmaal meiner gegenwartigen Seligheit gemacht!—und noch—”
Goethe
Some authors tell us gaily—
I mean the most veracious—
Mankind are getting daily
Less Pug—and less Men—dacious
And by reading Watt and Paley
Grow virtuous and sagacious
Good Gracious!
I mean the most veracious—
Mankind are getting daily
Less Pug—and less Men—dacious
And by reading Watt and Paley
Grow virtuous and sagacious
Good Gracious!
Our Ancestors—sad fellows!
Loved ignorance and yawning
But such pistons pipes and bellows
Our improving age is spawning,
As steam-engines impel us,
That day is sooner dawning—
So they tell us!
Loved ignorance and yawning
But such pistons pipes and bellows
Our improving age is spawning,
As steam-engines impel us,
That day is sooner dawning—
So they tell us!
On rail-roads—our reliance—
Without any tedious poking,
We shall fly through art and science,
Hissing, fizzing, snorting, smoking;
Setting distance at defiance,
And Time himself provoking—
No Joking!
Without any tedious poking,
We shall fly through art and science,
Hissing, fizzing, snorting, smoking;
Setting distance at defiance,
And Time himself provoking—
No Joking!
O'er Experience lightly glancing
Like a steamer on the Ocean—
Our ethic speed enhancing—
Locomotiving Devotion—
And in politics advancing,
With a double compound motion,
I've a notion—
Like a steamer on the Ocean—
Our ethic speed enhancing—
Locomotiving Devotion—
And in politics advancing,
185
I've a notion—
Each day our new condition
Will display some strange example—
Some striking proposition—
Or extraordinary sample
Of increasing expedition
On the road so straight and ample
From Perdition.
Will display some strange example—
Some striking proposition—
Or extraordinary sample
Of increasing expedition
On the road so straight and ample
From Perdition.
For instance—maid and lover
Being all, they were appearing
No faults will e'er discover
By seeing or by hearing
But will find fresh Cupids hover
By new Honey—moons so cheering—
How endearing!
Being all, they were appearing
No faults will e'er discover
By seeing or by hearing
But will find fresh Cupids hover
By new Honey—moons so cheering—
How endearing!
High pressure education
Will so increase wives' worth,
That no innocent flirtation
Jealous doubts will e'er bring forth,
But the husband's situation
Make of bachelors a dearth
Heaven and Earth!
Will so increase wives' worth,
That no innocent flirtation
Jealous doubts will e'er bring forth,
But the husband's situation
Make of bachelors a dearth
Heaven and Earth!
No spendthrift heir will borrow
On Post-Obits, whose huge growth,
If Dad should die tomorrow,
Would wake his grief for both—
Unless to soothe his sorrow
He could make—tho' somewhat loath
Matrimony—Matter o'money.
On Post-Obits, whose huge growth,
If Dad should die tomorrow,
Would wake his grief for both—
Unless to soothe his sorrow
He could make—tho' somewhat loath
Matrimony—Matter o'money.
Great men no more will savor
Base flattery—but flee it—
Nor pay with gold and favor
Vile sycophants who knee it—
And if ever they should waver
Will have the grace to see it:
So be it.
Base flattery—but flee it—
Nor pay with gold and favor
Vile sycophants who knee it—
And if ever they should waver
Will have the grace to see it:
So be it.
186
From one pole to the other,
No rogue will soon be found
Like brothers with a brother
Our neighbors all around
Will live with one another
In peace the most profound
Above ground!
No rogue will soon be found
Like brothers with a brother
Our neighbors all around
Will live with one another
In peace the most profound
Above ground!
Our jails, as they assure us,
Will be all dilapidation,
Hang-men needless to secure us—
Hulks in utter desolation,
Man—scelerisque purus
And law one long vacation—
O! Creation!
Will be all dilapidation,
Hang-men needless to secure us—
Hulks in utter desolation,
Man—scelerisque purus
And law one long vacation—
O! Creation!
On state-house and state prison
Solemn owls will soon renew—
When the full-orbed moon has risen,
Grave questions, not a few—
Seeking falsehood to bedizen
Too-hoo! Too-hoo! Too-hoo!
To Who?
Solemn owls will soon renew—
When the full-orbed moon has risen,
Grave questions, not a few—
Seeking falsehood to bedizen
Too-hoo! Too-hoo! Too-hoo!
To Who?
We shall shew on all occasions
Frank hearts, and honest faces;
Politicians in high stations,
Need not mask to keep their places;
Nor dear friends, and near relations
Waste a Carnival's grimaces,
On good graces.
Frank hearts, and honest faces;
Politicians in high stations,
Need not mask to keep their places;
Nor dear friends, and near relations
Waste a Carnival's grimaces,
On good graces.
All simple, all laborious—
We shall be, without hypocrisy,
Good, great, but not vain—glorious—
The Earth one wide Pantocracy—
Philanthropy victorious—
And Congress no Logocracy,
Uproarious!
We shall be, without hypocrisy,
Good, great, but not vain—glorious—
The Earth one wide Pantocracy—
Philanthropy victorious—
And Congress no Logocracy,
Uproarious!
With all our cares suspended,
And a shirt and loaf of bread each—
The currency amended—
Every trouble we shall head—reach—
No Tariffs apprehended,
Or taxes to distress us—
God bless us!
And a shirt and loaf of bread each—
The currency amended—
Every trouble we shall head—reach—
187
Or taxes to distress us—
God bless us!
Our wit shall all be Attic—
All gold our circulation—
Melo-comic—not dramatic
Our addresses to the Nation
And our States so Democratic
Will refute Repudiation,
Degradation.
All gold our circulation—
Melo-comic—not dramatic
Our addresses to the Nation
And our States so Democratic
Will refute Repudiation,
Degradation.
With no Bank-notes—unbankable—
No MONSTERS to affright us—
Newspapers almost frankable—
With Vetos to delight us—
And Presidents unthankable,
Serving twice before they slight us—
O Titus!
No MONSTERS to affright us—
Newspapers almost frankable—
With Vetos to delight us—
And Presidents unthankable,
Serving twice before they slight us—
O Titus!
But this sweet Arcadian season—
This specific for all woes—
This Age of Perfect Reason,
And Millenium of Repose—
We hope it is no treason—
Are they Poets' dreams?—or Prose?
Who knows?
This specific for all woes—
This Age of Perfect Reason,
And Millenium of Repose—
We hope it is no treason—
Are they Poets' dreams?—or Prose?
Who knows?
| [Poems by Wilde in] Richard Henry Wilde | |