THE moon hangs lightly on yon western hill; And now it gives a parting look, like one Who sadly leaves the guilty. You and I Must watch, when all is dark, and steal along By these lone trees, and wait for plunder. --Hush! I hear the coming of some luckless wheel, Bearing we know not what-- perhaps the wealth Torn from the needy, to be hoarded up By those who only count it; and perhaps The spendthrift's losses, or the gambler's gains, The thriving merchant's rich remittances, Or the small trifle some poor serving girl Sends to her poorer parents. But come on-- Be cautious. -- There -- 't is done; and now away, With breath drawn in, and noiseless step, to seek The darkness that befits so dark a deed. Now strike your light.-- Ye powers that look upon us! What have we here? Whigs, Sentinels, Gazettes, Heralds, and Posts, and Couriers -- Mercuries, Recorders, Advertisers, and Intelligencers -- Advocates and Auroras. -- There, what's that! That's -- a Price Current. I do venerate The man, who rolls the smooth and silky sheet Upon the well cut copper. I respect The worthier names of those who sign bank bills; And, though no literary man, I love To read their short and pithy sentences. But I hate types, and printers -- and the gang Of editors and scribblers. Their remarks, Essays, songs, paragraphs, and prophecies, I utterly detest. --And these, particularly, Are just the meanest and most rascally, " Stale and unprofitable" publications, I ever read in my life. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A HYMN FOR PROCESSION WITH CROSS AND BANNERS by SABINE BARING-GOULD THE END OF THE WORLD by GORDON BOTTOMLEY ELEGY: 9. THE AUTUMNAL [BEAUTY] by JOHN DONNE CHANNEL FIRING by THOMAS HARDY LUCY (5) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH AUTUMN by GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE EPITAPH ON THE SECRETARY TO THE MUSES by JANE BARKER |