Cover image for

The American Cyclops, the Hero of New Orleans, and Spoiler of Silver Spoons

Category Poetry
Language English
Published 1867
Word count 3,096
Excerpt

'Twere idle to upbraid the good old plea--
Might governs all, the rest were mock'ry.
The plumpest fly a sparrow's meal provides--
The heartless bird its agony derides:
"Nay," quoth relentless Sparrow, "you must die,
For you, weak thing, are not so strong as I."
A Hawk surprised him at his dainty meal,
In vain the Sparrow gasped his last appeal;

[Illustration: "The faithful groom the pawing steed attends,

                The maudlin Cyclops all oblique ascends;
                But ere the lambent flames consume the town
                The Cid unhorsed, like Bacchus, topples down."      _Page_ 21.]

"Wherefore, Sir Hawk, must I, thy victim, die?"
"Peace," quoth the Hawk, "thou art less strong than I."
Grimly an