Recollection51
O thou Fair as the sunrise on deep sea’s green surge,
While the whitecaps seem dancing all around!
Fair as sunset from mountain’s sheer precipice’s verge,
Seen o’er maze of high ridges snowbound!
Even Fairer than the rose, of all flowers the fairest;
Beyond Vatican’s Apollo Belvedere;
Bud McDonald, youth’s soul-mate, of beauty the rarest,
Adolescent wert thou without peer!
First, Beau Brummel wert thou, so fussy about clothes,
O immaculate Buddie McDee!
Dirt and slovenness cat, never more than thou, loaths;
Must be brushed every hour from dust free;
Every lock of thine hair with worried care laid in place;
As a girl didst thou prink—I can vow!
But of all the young bloods of Rialto’s fast race,
Not one sweller was costumed than thou!
Beheld one the shining patent leather of thy shoe,
And both hands decorated with rings;
Marked thy wiles through which dude hoi polloi’s favor doth woo,
One would say: “All from effeminacy springs!”
“Not a bit!” I must answer. For Mack, Sport as well,
Was a crack shot with pistol and ball;
How he hunted, coldblooded, dumb beasts he did tell;
Furry creatures clubbed dead; cursed them all!
Best of all:—an Adonis wert thou, Bud McDee,
With incomparable red peachlike cheeks;
Threads of eyebrows so cleancut!—in memory I see—
As o’er her eyes a soubrette alone seeks;
With thy pearls of teeth, cherry lips—beloved sir—
And as well chiselled nose as can be,
How I’ve wondered that thou and I intimates were!—
Explanation:—God gave thee to me!
I again in fond memory behold before me,
Pinkish mountain of loveliness tower;
Buddie’s forma divina, au naturel, see;
How his charms, yea unmatched, did o’erpower!
An “eyeful” his two breasts, with fine gold scraggy hair;
Graceful curves; rotund body and limb;
With his robust ribs bursting through skin O so fair,
And his deep-channeled back breathing vim!
Once Unequaled “Young Fellow”! Six-and-twenty long years
Now have rolled by since thou wert All That!
Art to-day gibbering sot, maybe suffering jeers,
With foul trousers and torn greasy hat?
For the cup cherished thou that glad makes the sad heart.—
How I wonder! Where sleptest last night?
Is vitality wasted? In grave resting art?—
Us together soon lead, Kindly Light!