COUSIN Charles, please to send down to-morrow, At eight, by the Scarborough mail, Claudine, or the Victim of Sorrow, Don Juan, two mops, and a pail. As soon as you enter Hyde Park, it Must suit you to call in Gough-square; And when you're in Leadenhall Market, Buy a rattle at Bartl'my Fair. Do give the enclosed to George Colburn, The tinman -- he's sure to be found -- He lives in Southampton-street, Holburn, Or else near the Islington Pound. Papa wants a hamper of claret Like that which he smuggled from Tours, Aunt Agatha wants a poll parrot -- Perhaps you could let her have yours. We are dying for Lord Byron's sonnet, Tell Jones I have sent him a pig, Mamma wants a new sarcenet bonnet, The size of the head of our gig. Could you match the enclosed bit of ribbon -- Do buy Tom an ounce of rape-seed; When you send the third volume of Gibbon, Do send Jack a velocipede. Some shears that old Dobbin will well dock, A mouse-trap, a gold-headed cane, A bottle of Steers' opedeldoc, Three ounces of alicampane, Gold wire from Duke's Head, Little Britain, A purple tin kaleidescope, A tea-tray, a tortoise-shell kitten, Rob Roy, and a long bit of soap. Six ounces of Bohea from Twining's, A peg-top, a Parmesan cheese, Some rose-coloured sarcenet for linings, A stew-pan, and Stevenson's Glees; A song ending "Hey noni noni," A chair with a cover of chintz, A mummy dug up by Belzoni, A skein of white worsted from Flint's. ANSWER. Can I pocket St. Paul's like an apple, Take Waterloo bridge in my teeth, Mount astride the Green Dragon, Whitechapel, And fight all the butchers beneath? Can I eat Bank directors by dozens, Put the national debt in a dish? If I cannot my dear country cousins, I cannot do half what you wish! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CENTER OF GRAVITY by DAVID IGNATOW ON DEATH, WITHOUT EXAGGERATION by WISLAWA SZYMBORSKA THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by FRANCIS SCOTT KEY FLORAL DECORATIONS FOR BANANAS by WALLACE STEVENS ODES: BOOK 1: ODE 12. TO SIR FRANCIS HENRY DRAKE, BARONET by MARK AKENSIDE TENNYSON by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |