THROUGH great Earl Norman's acres wide, A prosperous and a good land, 'T will take you fifty miles to ride O'er grass, and corn, and woodland. His age is sixty-nine, or near, And I'm scarce twenty-two, man, And have but fifty pounds a year, -- Poor John Truman! But would I change? I' faith! not I, Oh no! not I, says Truman! Earl Norman dwells in halls of state, The grandest in the county; Has forty cousins at his gate, To feed upon his bounty. But then he's deaf -- the doctors' care, While I in whispers woo, man, And find my physic in the air, -- Stout John Truman! D'ye think I'd change for thrice his gold? Oh no! not I, says Truman! Earl Norman boasts a gartered knee, A proof of royal graces; I wear, by Nelly wrought for me, A silken pair of braces. He sports a star upon his breast, And I a violet blue, man, -- The gift of her who loves me best, Proud John Truman! I'd be myself, and not the Earl, Oh, that would I, says Truman. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SAILOR TO HIS PARROT by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES AT SUNSET TIME by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR VERSES ON SEEING THE SPEAKER ASLEEP IN HIS CHAIR by WINTHROP MACKWORTH PRAED ANIMAL TRANQUILITY AND DECAY; A SKETCH by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH |