I took a walk one gloomy night Across Black Aiken's Lot: And lost I was and cold I was When, lo, I spied a cot! A candle lit was goodly sight As I drew nigh the door, Where such a welcome as I reeved I ne'er had reeved before. A Dame was there in swaiping gown, With twenty padded curs That edged a curious row around And growled when she said, @3"Hers!"@1 "Sit down, Good Sir," the Beldam cried, "Come, sit thee down, I pray!" "@3A willow was I and fell my leaf!@1" A voice warned, thin and gray. "Then broth, Good Sir!" but a wooden spoon Shrilled high within the pot, @3"He cut off the head of the golden hen Beside his father's cot!"@1 The Beldam turned to a peeled stick That in a corner stood: She lashed the curs as it loudly spoke, @3"His navel blessed my wood!"@1 Then flung she trimmings of aged nails, And a hundred whited teeth, But open swung the heavy door And I sped across the heath! And when I'd found my way to town, And told my story fair, Old Luke spat East, North, West and South, -- @3"Black Aiken's Lot is bare."@1 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...YOUTH PENETRANT by CONRAD AIKEN THE IMPOSSIBLE INDISPENSIBILITY OF THE ARS POETICA by HAYDEN CARRUTH EVERYONE KNOWS WHOM THE SAVED ENVY by JAMES GALVIN SYNOPSIS OF A FAILED POEM by JAMES GALVIN JAWEH AND ALLAH BATTLE by ALLEN GINSBERG THE PRODIGAL SON by DAVID IGNATOW BROTHERHOOD by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON HOPE (1) by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON SONNET TO THOSE WHO SEE BUT DARKLY by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON |