Six o'Clock WHEN the frogs clear their throats Like old club members, And the fireflies Punctuate the dusk with a network of brightness, Hasten, boy, to His Excellency Mu-Kow, And ask him to join me In a trifling merriment. And be careful To stretch two white ropes Along the path, Lest, when His Excellency totters homeward in the darkness, He fall in the canal. Eight o'Clock Welcome, Excellency, welcome! You do me too much honor! Lay aside your robe and we will sit in the pagoda. Throw your lip over these pickled sharks' fins. I pray you, be at your ease: Let this evening be conducted on a high philosophical plane. The great Confucius, as you were saying, put it neatly: @3Prohibition cannot harm me, I have wined to-day.@1 Nine o'Clock Yes, Excellency, you have said it: We live but once. Boy! Some more of those curried snails! How warm this moonlight is. By all means, Excellency, take off your shirt If you will be more comfortable. Ten o'Clock Admirable, admirable! To speak sooth, Excellency, I had no idea That you could do the Shan-Tung saraband with such spirit. But -- you will pardon me for mentioning it -- Let me clear away the broken glassware Before you dance barefoot on the table. The Emperor would never forgive me If you should wound yourself -- Yes, I can see you perfectly from here. It is very comfortable here, under the table. Eleven o'Clock Boy, boy! Make haste! I @3begged@1 His Excellency to tread with care. Woe is me! His Excellency insisted on catching a cool, slippery eel To lay against his heated forehead. Hasten, boy, hasten! His Excellency Has fallen into the canal. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FEARS IN SOLITUDE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE SHEEP AND LAMBS by KATHARINE TYNAN THE PATIENT WAYS by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE SONG, FR. A VISION OF GIORGIONE: GEMMA'S SPRING SONG by GORDON BOTTOMLEY THE LASS THAT MADE THE BED TO ME by ROBERT BURNS |