 | Poetry for children |  |
Aunt Nancy and her Parrot.
Aunt Nancy was a maiden fair
Who chose the lonely part;
Birds, cats, and lap-dogs claim'd her care
And rul'd her tender heart.
Who chose the lonely part;
Birds, cats, and lap-dogs claim'd her care
And rul'd her tender heart.
Their every want she well supplied,
But 'mid her hopeful race,
A Parrot, gay as eastern bride,
Maintain'd the highest place.
But 'mid her hopeful race,
A Parrot, gay as eastern bride,
Maintain'd the highest place.
He, to her elbow-chair would hie,
Where she, erect and prim,
Her fan and box of snuff laid by
To play and talk with him.
Where she, erect and prim,
Her fan and box of snuff laid by
To play and talk with him.
His wit and wisdom cheer'd her days,
His accents charm'd her ear,
As loud he conn'd his boasted phrase
“Good bye, Aunt Nancy dear.”
His accents charm'd her ear,
As loud he conn'd his boasted phrase
“Good bye, Aunt Nancy dear.”
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When in her garden's flowery spot
The lady took the air,
This proud prime-minister would trot,
And scold, and chatter there.
The lady took the air,
This proud prime-minister would trot,
And scold, and chatter there.
Her ancient favorites scarce could brook
The eclipsing rival's state,
His motions mark'd with jealous look,
And ill-dissembled hate.
The eclipsing rival's state,
His motions mark'd with jealous look,
And ill-dissembled hate.
The cross old lap-dog oft would snap.
Regardless of the law,
Or sly miss tabby give a tap
With long protruded claw.
Regardless of the law,
Or sly miss tabby give a tap
With long protruded claw.
Once as he chose alone to walk
Like Eve, without a guide,
A crooked-fang'd, marauding Hawk
The morsel choice, espied.
Like Eve, without a guide,
A crooked-fang'd, marauding Hawk
The morsel choice, espied.
“My unfledg'd infants, sure,” he said,
“Shall have a feast to-day,”
So, with a fearful swoop, he made
The struggling bird his prey.
“Shall have a feast to-day,”
So, with a fearful swoop, he made
The struggling bird his prey.
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Aunt Nancy, by a shriek amaz'd
Quick to the window flew,
Put on her spectacles and gaz'd,
And the lost darling knew.
Quick to the window flew,
Put on her spectacles and gaz'd,
And the lost darling knew.
And as the Hawk, his talons sharp,
With ruthless rage would ply
It seem'd as if some breaking harp
Shriek'd forth,—“good bye,—good bye.”
With ruthless rage would ply
It seem'd as if some breaking harp
Shriek'd forth,—“good bye,—good bye.”
Slow mingling with the summer cloud
Those gorgeous plumes appear,
Yet thence the Parrot scream'd aloud,
“Good bye,—Aunt Nancy dear.”
Those gorgeous plumes appear,
Yet thence the Parrot scream'd aloud,
“Good bye,—Aunt Nancy dear.”
Then fast the pitying lady's tears
Distain'd her wither'd cheek,
At hearing thus from higher spheres,
Her kidnapp'd idol speak.
Distain'd her wither'd cheek,
At hearing thus from higher spheres,
Her kidnapp'd idol speak.
Full oft the tragic tale she told,
And sympathy would claim,
That even 'mid death's relentless hold,
The bird pronounced her name.
And sympathy would claim,
That even 'mid death's relentless hold,
The bird pronounced her name.
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Oft too, her purring, growling train
In dining-room, or grove,
She lectur'd long in accents vain,
Of Poll's superior love.
In dining-room, or grove,
She lectur'd long in accents vain,
Of Poll's superior love.
And still, her tears each other chas'd,
While some reproachful friend
Would hint, that love on parrots placed
Was apt in wo to end.
While some reproachful friend
Would hint, that love on parrots placed
Was apt in wo to end.
| Poetry for children | |