Panama and Other Poems Narrative and Occasional By Stephen Phillips: With a Frontispiece by Joseph Pennell |
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LAMBETH |
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LAMBETH
“The Lambeth guardians have decided to deprive
the children of the Union of the Christmas breakfast-egg
to make them realize the gravity of war.”—Daily
Chronicle, Nov., 1914.
O Dickens! wert thou with us still,
Here is fresh matter for thy quill!
Who said that Bumbledom can die?
Lambeth, arise, expose the lie!
In time of war, in hour of stress,
Only denial wrings success,
And fat and solemn guardians feel
Each patriot should curtail his meal.
What better season could be found
A nation's gospel to expound
Than Christmas? Then too much we eat,
Gorged with unnecessary meat.
We ask not guardians to make
Such sacrifice for country's sake;
Yet they can teach the Union-brat,
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To practise abstinence at last,
And most on Christmas Day to fast.
Then to the Poor Law children preach,
The rising generation teach.
Enough that guardians sowed the seed
Of future England's temperate breed.
O, let the workhouse learn control,
To stint the body, save the soul;
And let its pampered children beg
Vainly the Christmas breakfast-egg!
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