No further seek his frailties to disclose:
For many of his sins should share the load:
While he kept rising, who asked how he rose?
While we could reap, what cared we how he sowed?
THE BOA AND THE BLANKET. [Footnote: A few days before this burlesque of Warren appeared, a boa-constrictor in the London Zoological Gardens swallowed the blanket that had served as its bed.] AN APOLOGUE OF THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—[AFTER WARREN.] PUNCH.
It is talked of Now! Was talked of Yesterday!
May be muttered to-morrow! What?—
THE BOA THAT BOLTED THE BLANKET,
Speckled Enthusiast!
It was full moon's full moonlight! The Shilling
I had paid down at the Gate
Seem'd hung in Heaven. To NEWTON'S EYE
(As Master of the Mint).
A Splendid, yea, Celestial Shilling!
I was alone, with Nothing to Speak of
But Creation!
Yes! Gigantic NOAH'S Ark of twenty times her tonnage,
Lay crouch'd, and purring, and velvety, and fanged
About me!
Cane-colored tigers—rug-spotted Leopards—
Snakes (ah, CUPID!) knit and interknit—to true love knots
Semblable!
Striped Zebra—Onager Calcitrant—Common Ass,
And I—and all were there!
The bushy Squirrel with his half-cracked Nut,
Slept. The Boar of Allemagne snored.
The Lion's Cage was hot with heat of blood:
And Peace in Curtain Ring linked two Ring Doves!
In Gardens Zoological and Regent,
I, meditating, stood!
And still the moon looked wondrous like a Shilling,
Impartial Moon, that showed me all.
My heart fluttered as tho' winged from Mercury!
I moved—approached the Snake-House!
Oh, the balm of Paradise that came and went!
The silver gleams of Eden shooting down the trembling strings
Of my melodious heart!
Down—down to its coral roots!
I dashed aside the human tear; and—yes—prepared myself
With will, drunk from the eyes of Hope, to gaze upon the Snake!
The Boa!!
The Python!!!
The Anaconda!!!!
A Boa was there! A Boa, 'neath Crystal Roof!
And rabbits, taking the very moonlight in their paws,
Washed their meek faces. Washed, then hopped!
"And so (I couldn't help it) so," I groaned—"the ancient Snake—
That milk-white thing—and innocent—trustful!
And then, Death—Death—
And lo! there, typical, it is—it is—
THE BLANKET!!
Death shred of living thing that cropped the flower;
And, thoughtless, bleated forth its little baa-a!"
Away! I will not tarry! Let the Boa sleep,
And Rabbits, that have given bills to destiny,
Meet his demand at three and six months' date!
(We know such Boas and rabbits,
Know we not?)
Let me pass on!
And here 'tis cool; nay, even cold
Without the Snake-House!
The Moon still glistens, and again I think
Of Multitudes who've paid and stared, and yawned and wandered here!
The city muckworm, who
Prom peacock orient, scarce could tell a cock
Of hay!
Though be ye sure, a guinea from a guinea-pig
He knows, and (as for money)
Ever has his squeak for't!
Here, too, paused the wise, sagacious man,
Master of probabilities!
He sees the tusk of elephant—the two tusks—
And, with a thought, cuts 'em into cubes—
And with another thought—another—and another-
Tells (to himself) how oft, in twenty years
Those spotted squares shall come up sixes!
And this in living elephant!