The shepherd calls -- How these great mountain walls Re-echo! See his dog Come limping from the bog! How far he holds him With that thin clamour! Scolds him? Or cheers him -- which? Say both -- most like. The pitch Is steep, poor fellow! And still that bellow -- Ya, ya! Whoop! tittiva! And Echo from her niche Shrieks challenged. Shout, O shepherd! flout The irritable Echo till she raves! @3As man behaves, So God apportions, doing what is best For you, and for the rest. As man behaves?@1 You do not help me much, Nay, sir, nor touch The central point at all -- Retributive, mechanical -- I see it. But outside all this I miss . . . I miss . . . Sir, know you Death? Permit me introduce . . . No? @3What's the use?@1 The use! . . . One thing I can collect, You have but scant respect For Death. Why, sir, he made a feint That very minute at you -- quaint! The way he grins and skips -- Whips! whips! Down! down! good dog! good Death! To heel, you rogue! Good Death! good dog! You'd rather not behold him? I've told him -- I' faith, He'd frighten you, would Death. Provoked me -- yes, you did -- The shepherd chid His lagging hound -- I had no other thought But how mad Echo caught The sound Of that exasperant call, And made it bound Back from the mountain wall. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MIRANDA'S SUPPER (VIRGINIA, 1866) by ELINOR WYLIE PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 53. ALLAH-AL-WAKIL by EDWIN ARNOLD EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 28. LOVE'S TRIUMPH OVER RICHES by PHILIP AYRES A CHARACTER OF JOSEPH PRIESTLY by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD |