Poetry.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2543, 27 October 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

Poetry.

A SPANISH POEM. 0 ! lot the soul its slumber break, Arouse its senses and awake, To hoc how soon Life, with its slory, slides away, And the stt-jjiMootsteps of decay Come stealing on. And while we eye the rollins? tide, Down which our flowing minutes glide Away ao fast, Let us the present hour employ, And deem each future dreaui "f joy Already past. Let no vain hope deceive the mind No happier let us hope to find To-morrow than to day ; .... Our golden dreams of yore were bright; Like them, the present shall delight— Like them, decay. Our lines, like hasting streams, mu3t be. That into one engulfing sea Are doomed to fall — The sea of death, whose waves roll on O'er king and kingdom, crown and throne, And swallow nil. Alike the river's lordly tide, Alike the humble riv'leta glide, To that sad wave ; Death levels property and pride, And rich and poor sleep side by side Within the grave. Our birth is but tho starting-place, Life is the running of the race, And death the goal; There all those glittering toys are brought; The path alone of all uusought Is found of all. Say, then, how poor and little worth Are all those glittering toys of earth That lure us here ? Dreams of a sleep that death must break, Alas ! before it bids us wake, Y© disappear I •' ALLOW FOR THE CRAWL." — A HOMILY." You have often, no doubt, had occasion to note, Though the garment, at first, seemed certain to please, That, after some wealing, the sleeve of the coat T'ward the shoulder was crawling, by easy degrees; And that's what the clothier, of course, had in mind, When he said to a customer, Long .'— not at all ! The sleeves are just right—as you 11 presently find— In cutting the coat we allow for the crawl!" The expression was one wholly new to me then ; . But it sot mo to thinking how well it applies, Not merely to coats, but to women and men, In matters of life as they daily arise ; Consider the shrinkage in human affairs— The promise, how great; the performance, how small; And, lest disappointment should come unawares, Remember the sleeve—and allow for the crawl !" The statesman who asks for your ballot to save Your country, so rashly imperilled today, May covet an office and not be a knave, Whatever the fierce Opposition may say. But tho " platform " to which he so valiantly clings, By vh'ch he proposes to stand or to fall— "Resolutions," remember, are slippery always "allow for the crawl! " You are deeply in lovo with the sweetest of pirls ; .. An anccl in hoops—only wanting the . i■ / i (If angela could purchase such beautiiui curls !) Like a seraph she smiles ; like a siren she sings. . . Ah ! splendid and vast are the fancies or youth ; .. But down to plain facts they must n nally And happy the couple who, finding the truth, , In conjugal kindness * allow for the crawl,"

In brief, recollect that in human affairs, In social connections, in travel and traaP, In courtship and marriage, in sermons ana prayers, Soma grains of concession should always be made. In fine, be a prudent, though generous man ; . . , Unfriendly to none, and veracious with all; Believe in your neighbour as much as ytm can, , But always be sure to allow for the crawl!" ~ ~ —John G saxe..