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A poem by W. S. Gilbert |
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Ferdinando And Elvira; Or, The Gentle Pieman |
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Title: Ferdinando And Elvira; Or, The Gentle Pieman Author: W. S. Gilbert [More Titles by Gilbert] PART I.
MR. TUPPER and the Poets, very lightly with them dealing, Then we let off paper crackers, each of which contained a motto, Then she whispered, "To the ball-room we had better, dear, be walking; There were noblemen in coronets, and military cousins, Yet she heeded not their offers, but dismissed them with a blessing, Then she had convulsive sobbings in her agitated throttle, So I whispered, "Dear ELVIRA, say,--what can the matter be with you? But spite of all I said, her sobs grew more and more distressing, Then she gazed upon the carpet, at the ceiling, then above me, "Love you?" said I, then I sighed, and then I gazed upon her sweetly-- "Send me to the Arctic regions, or illimitable azure, "Tell me whither I may hie me--tell me, dear one, that I may know-- But she said, "It isn't polar bears, or hot volcanic grottoes:
But HENRY WADSWORTH smiled, and said he had not had that honour; "MISTER MARTIN TUPPER, POET CLOSE, I beg of you inform us;" MISTER CLOSE expressed a wish that he could only get anigh to me; "A fool is bent upon a twig, but wise men dread a bandit,"-- Seven weary years I wandered--Patagonia, China, Norway, There were fuchsias and geraniums, and daffodils and myrtle, He was plump and he was chubby, he was smooth and he was rosy, And he chirped and sang, and skipped about, and laughed with laughter And I said, "O gentle pieman, why so very, very merry? But he answered, "I'm so happy--no profession could be dearer-- "First I go and make the patties, and the puddings, and the jellies, "Then I polish all the silver, which a supper-table lacquers; "Found at last!" I madly shouted. "Gentle pieman, you astound me!" And I shouted and I danced until he'd quite a crowd around him-- And I heard the gentle pieman in the road behind me trilling, But until I reached ELVIRA'S home, I never, never waited, [The end] GO TO TOP OF SCREEN |