POEMS OLD AND NEW

THE DESIRED SWAN-SONG

SWANS sing before they die—'twere no bad thing
Should certain persons die before they sing.

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE

THE JACKDAW OF RHEIMS
THE Jackdaw sat on the Cardinal's chair !
Bishop, and abbot, and prior were there ;
Many a monk, and many a friar,
Many a knight, and many a squire,
With a great many more of lesser degree,—
In sooth a goodly company ;
And they served the Lord Primate on bended knee.
Never, I ween, 10
Was a prouder seen,
Read of in books, or dreamt of in dreams,
Than the Cardinal Lord Archbishop of Rheims !
In and out
Through the motley rout.
That little Jackdaw kept hopping about;
Here and there
Like a dog in a fair,
Over comfits and cates,
And dishes and plates, 20
Cowl and cope, and rochet and pall,
Mitre and crosier ! he hopp'd upon all !
With saucy air,
He perch'd on the chair
Where, in state, the great Lord Cardinal sat
In the great Lord Cardinal's great red hat;
And he peer'd in the face
Of his Lordship's Grace,
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