NO MALORY of old romance, No Crusoe tale, it seems to me, Can equal in rich circumstance This telephone directory. No ballad of fair ladies' eyes, No legend of proud knights and dames, Can fill me with such bright surmise As this great book of numbered names! How many hearts and lives unknown, Rare damsels pining for a squire, Are waiting for the telephone To ring, and call them to the wire. Some wait to hear a loved voice say The news they will rejoice to know At Rome 2637 J Or Marathon 1450! And some, perhaps, are stung with fear And answer with reluctant tread: The message they expect to hear Means life or death or daily bread. A million hearts here wait our call, All naked to our distant speech -- I wish that I could ring them all And have some welcome news for each! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PET NAME by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING CATTLE SHOW by CHRISTOPHER MURRAY GRIEVE THE LAST SIGNAL by THOMAS HARDY TO THE UNKNOWN EROS: BOOK 2: 7. TO THE BODY by COVENTRY KERSEY DIGHTON PATMORE THE END OF IT by FRANCIS THOMPSON SOURCE by KENNETH SLADE ALLING ON THE FALL OF ZALONA by EMILY JANE BRONTE |