Page 74 - Poetry-Whimsy
P. 74

To a Girl Golfer

          Take a helpless little ball,       If your strength and courage stand
          Drive it into space;               Such unwonted strain,
          If perchance you see it fall,      By-and-by your ball will land
          Try to find the place.             On a little plain,
          And, as it is very small,          Near a hole—you understand—
          Hit again that hapless ball        Into which you putt it and
          With a savage grace.               Then begin again.

          —(The Girl’s Own Paper, 1899)














          Before and After

          Picnic morning                     Picnic evening,
             Bright and fair,                    What a plight!
          Golden sunshine,                   Rained from 10
             Balmy air.                          O’clock till night.
          What a pleasure                    Flossy garments,
             Thus to go                          Once so nice,
          Where the woodland                 Filled with mud
             Breezes blow.                       And beggars’ lice.
          Happy hours,                       Dinner ruined,
             Free from care,                     Pies and cakes
          Joy and beauty                     Food for ants
             Everywhere.                         And garter snakes.
          Through the leafy                  Full of doleful
             Woods we’ll stray                   Dank dismay,
          Gracious, gladsome                 Dirty, drizzly
             Picnic day.                         Picnic day.

          —(from a Victorian Scrap Album)

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