'Prophete rechts, Prophete links, Das Weltkind in der Mitten.' -- GOETHE'S Dine zu Coblenz. TO left, here's B., half-Communist, Who talks a chastened treason, And C., a something-else in 'ist,' Harangues, to right, on Reason. B., from his 'tribune,' fulminates At Throne and Constitution, Nay -- with the walnuts -- advocates Reform by revolution; While C.'s peculiar coterie Have now in full rehearsal Some patent new Philosophy To make doubt universal. And yet -- why not? If zealots burn, Their zeal has not affected My taste for salmon and Sauterne, Or I might have objected: -- Friend B., the argument you choose Has been by France refuted; And C., mon cher, your novel views Are just Tom Paine, diluted; There's but one creed, -- that's Laissez faire, Behold its mild apostle! My dear, declamatory pair, Although you shout and jostle, Not your ephemeral hands, nor mine, Time's Gordian knots shall sunder, -- WILL laid three casks of this old wine: Who'll drink the last, I wonder? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RETROSPECT by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON VIGNETTES OVERSEAS: 7. ROME by SARA TEASDALE A COMPARISON by WILLIAM COWPER ALCAICS: TO H. F. BROWN by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON TO A COMMON PROSTITUTE by WALT WHITMAN A NYMPH TO A YOUNG SHEPHERD, INSENSIBLE OF LOVE by PHILIP AYRES IN VINCULIS; SONNETS WRITTEN IN AN IRISH PRISON: HONOUR DISHONOURED by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT |