The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #59418   Message #1187313
Posted By: Rapparee
17-May-04 - 01:12 PM
Thread Name: BS: The Mother of all BS threads
Subject: RE: BS: The Mother of all BS threads
I simply KNEW you'd like it! So here's another:

    To the Moon
   
    "O, thou."
    --CLAUD HALCRO.

    BLESS thy bright face! though often blessed before
    By raving maniac and by pensive fool;
    One would say something more-- but who as yet,
    When looking at thee in the deep blue sky,
    Could tell the poorest thought that struck his heart?
    Yet all have tried, and all have tried in vain.
    At thee, poor planet, is the first attempt
    That the young rhymster ventures. And the sigh
    The boyish lover heaves, is at the Moon.
    Bards, who -- ere Milton sung or Shakspeare played
    The dirge of sorrow, or the song of love,
    Bards, who had higher soared than Fesole,
    Knew better of the Moon. 'T was there they found
    Vain thoughts, lost hopes, and fancy's happy dreams,
    And all sweet sounds, such as have fled afar
    From waking discords, and from daylight jars.
    There Ariosto puts the widow's weeds
    When she, new wedded, smiles abroad again,
    And there the sad maid's innocence -- 't is there

    That broken vows and empty promises,
    All good intentions, with no answering deed
    To anchor them on the substantial earth,
    Are shrewdly packed. -- And could he think that thou,
    So bright, so pure of aspect, so serene,
    Art the mere storehouse of our faults and crimes?
    I'd rather think as puling rhymsters think,
    O; love-sick maidens fancy -- Yea, prefer
    The dairy notion that thou art but cheese,
    Green cheese --than thus misdoubt thy honest face.