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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


A REASONABLE AFFLICTION (5) by MATTHEW PRIOR

First Line: HELEN WAS JUST SLIPT INTO BED
Last Line: ALAS! NO EYE-BROWS FOR TO-MORROW.

HELEN was just slipt into bed:
Her eye-brows on the toilet lay:
Away the kitten with them fled,
As fees belonging to her prey.

For this misfortune careless Jane,
Assure yourself, was loudly rated;
And madam, getting up again,
With her own hand the mouse-trap baited.

On little things, as sages write,
Depends our human joy or sorrow;
If we don't catch a mouse to-night,
Alas! no eye-brows for to-morrow.



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