Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


NELL AND JOHN by MATTHEW PRIOR

First Line: WHEN NELL, GIVEN O'ER BY THE DOCTOR, WAS DYING
Last Line: WHEN YOU LOST YOUR WHITE HEIFER, AND I MY BROWN MARE!
Subject(s): DEATH; LOSS; MARRIAGE; DEAD, THE; WEDDINGS; HUSBANDS; WIVES;

WHEN Nell, given o'er by the doctor, was dying,
And John at the chimney stood decently crying;
'Tis in vain, said the woman, to make such ado,
For to our long home we must all of us go!

True, Nell, replied John; but, what yet is the worst
For us that remain, the best always go first;
Remember, dear wife, that I said so last year,
When you lost your white heifer, and I my brown mare!



Home: PoetryExplorer.net