I AM a Caledonian born And in the British Senate Have sounded oft Sedition's horn "For vary weal I ken it". When London blazed then I was warm, Association-drunk, And hoped in that illustrious storm Britannia should have sunk. Two themes I chose, Popery one, Prerogative the other, And Tag and Rag by canting won And Bob-tail and his brother. Tried and acquitted (none can tell On what sufficient reason) On other projects soon I fell, Still hank'ring after treason. I raved and bawl'd with such a noise As we're in Homer told Ulysses made, as big a voice As a man's head could hold. And all to show how well inclin'd I stood to ev'ry measure In Congress plann'd—To ease my mind— And for my own good pleasure. Fam'd d'Adhemar I worried next For popular diversion, And Royal Antoinitta vex'd With libellous aspersion. The Pris'ners too in Newgate all To mutiny exciting I taught them on their knees to fall With pray'rs of my inditing. Convict at last, I fled the Land, And set my patriot shoulder To help the Dutchman to withstand And shove out the Stadtholder. But thence expell'd, I took it ill, Renounced my own Baptismal, And with long beard made longer still My length of visage dismal. No Christian then—I'm now a Jew, And as my last good work Hope yet to prove the Koran true, And die a turban'd Turk. These and a thousand pranks beside Of similar complexion Prove me at all points qualified For Akerman's protection. You call me mad, but, if you dare, E'en turn me loose and try Who best deserves that blame to bear, You, my good friend, or I. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...OLD IRONSIDES by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES A BALLAD OF TREES AND THE MASTER by SIDNEY LANIER A NET TO SNARE THE MOONLIGHT by NICHOLAS VACHEL LINDSAY THE SPIRIT OF POETRY by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW A SONG OF PANAMA by ALFRED DAMON RUNYON THE PERSIANS (PERSAE): SALAMIS - MESSENGER by AESCHYLUS SORCERY by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |