Читать книгу The Lazy Minstrel - Ashby-Sterry Joseph - Страница 4

SPRING'S Delights are now returning!

Let the Lazy Minstrel sing;

While the ruddy logs are burning,

Let his merry banjo ring!

Take no heed of pluvial patter,

Waste no time in vain regrets;

Though our teeth are all a-chatter,

Like the clinking castanets!

Though it's freezing, sleeting, snowing,

Though we're speechless from catarrh,

Though the East wind's wildly blowing,

Let us warble, Tra la la!

Spring's Delights are now returning!

Let us order new great-coats:

Never let us dream of spurning

Woollen wrap around our throats.

Let us see the couch nocturnal

Snugly swathed in eider-down:

Let not thoughts of weather vernal

Tempt us to go out of Town.

Though the biting blast is cruel,

Though our "tonic's" not sol-fa,

Though we sadly sup on gruel,

Let us warble, Tra la la!

Spring's Delights are now returning

Now the poet deftly weaves

Quaint conceits and rhymes concerning

Croton oil and mustard leaves!

Let us, though we are a fixture,

In our room compelled to stay —

Let us quaff the glad cough mixture,

Gaily gargle time away!

Though we're racked with pains rheumatic,

Though to sleep we've said ta-ta,

Let us, with a voice ecstatic,

Wildly warble, Tra la la!

Spring's Delights are now returning!

Doctors now are blithe and gay!

Heaps of money now they're earning,

Calls they're making ev'ry day.

Ev'ry shepherd swain grows colder,

As, in vain, he tries to sing;

Feels he now quite ten years older,

'Neath the blast of blighting Spring!

Though we're doubtful of the issue,

Let us bravely shout Hurrah!

And in one superb A-tishoo!

Sneeze and warble Tra la la!