Читать книгу Second Book of Verse - Field Eugene - Страница 9

Table of Contents

IN Oberhausen, on a time,

I fared as might a king;

And now I feel the muse sublime

Inspire me to embalm in rhyme

That succulent and sapid thing

Behight of gentile and of Jew

A gosling stew!

The good Herr Schmitz brought out his best,—

Soup, cutlet, salad, roast,—

And I partook with hearty zest,

And fervently anon I blessed

That generous and benignant host,

When suddenly dawned on my view

A gosling stew!

I sniffed it coming on apace,

And as its odors filled

The curious little dining-place,

I felt a glow suffuse my face,

I felt my very marrow thrilled

With rapture altogether new,—

'Twas gosling stew!

These callow birds had never played

In yonder village pond;

Had never through the gateway strayed,

And plaintive spissant music made

Upon the grassy green beyond:

Cooped up, they simply ate and grew

For gosling stew!

My doctor said I mustn't eat

High food and seasoned game;

But surely gosling is a meat

With tender nourishment replete.

Leastwise I gayly ate this same;

I braved dyspepsy—wouldn't you

For gosling stew?

I've feasted where the possums grow,

Roast turkey have I tried,

The joys of canvasbacks I know,

And frequently I've eaten crow

In bleak and chill Novembertide;

I'd barter all that native crew

For gosling stew!

And when from Rhineland I adjourn

To seek my Yankee shore,

Back shall my memory often turn,

And fiercely shall my palate burn

For sweets I'll taste, alas! no more,—

Oh, that mein kleine frau could brew

A gosling stew!

Vain are these keen regrets of mine,

And vain the song I sing;

Yet would I quaff a stoup of wine

To Oberhausen auf der Rhine,

Where fared I like a very king:

And here's a last and fond adieu

To gosling stew!