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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE OLD NURSE, by GUSTAVE NADAUD Poet's Biography First Line: Dame gudule is our ancient maid Last Line: The clock will soon be striking eight. Subject(s): Household Employees; Servants; Domestics; Maids | |||
DAME Gudule is our ancient maid, Whose arms, when young, received us all, Now shakes her hand by age decayed; An easy chair beside the wall Rests her, while bent the fire o'er Like some old pictured ancestor. Now Gudule, go to bed. 'Tis late; The clock will soon be striking eight. Her poor old brain, now nearly gone, And dull with age, 'tis hard to rouse; We all to men and women grown, She the one child left in the house; We nurse her age, and care bestow, As she our childhood long ago. Now Gudule, go to bed. 'Tis late; The clock will soon be striking eight. Gudule sometimes is wont to scold, Most when the weather threats a change; We bear her grumbling as of old, We laugh not, nor our course derange; Nought without asking her we do, Though her advice we ne'er pursue. Now Gudule, go to bed. 'Tis late; The clock will soon be striking eight. We tell her the same wondrous tales Which to our infant ears she told; Her fixed attention never fails, While through her hands her beads are rolled: Those ancient tales time never varies, About the devil and the fairies. Now Gudule, go to bed. 'Tis late; The clock will soon be striking eight. Gudule of old, averse from waste, At sixty years begins to hoard; Each year more savings are amassed; Her gains are for her children stored. Nor son nor daughter e'er had she, We are her only family. Now Gudule, go to bed. 'Tis late; The clock will soon be striking eight. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IBIS; FOR LORI GOLDENSOHN by NORMAN DUBIE PLAINT OF THE POET IN AN IGNORANT AGE by CAROLYN KIZER LEDA'S HANDMAIDEN by ELEANOR WILNER |
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