November Weather
Autumn leaves are falling round us
Now, in all the late green gardens!
Summer flowers would quite astound us—
—Rare are they as “Queen Ann’s fardens!”
Once green lanes are now mere sloshes;
Garden walks are quite unpleasant;
Cloaks, umbrellas, and goloshes,
Now are aught but evanescent!
All the shrubberies are dripping—
Plots of grass are soft and spungy—
Roads seem only made for slipping—
And we fall like—Missolunghi!
Now the streets are clear of rabble—
Shopkeepers find no employment—
Ducks and geese keep gabble, gabble—
Mocking us with their enjoyment!
Now we cry, “When will it leave off?”—
“What a very nasty day ’tis!”—
“There!—’tis clearing, I believe, off!”—
“No—how tiresome!—that’s the way ’tis!”
“Sarah,” says mama, “my dear love,
Don’t waste time in looking out there,
Come, and learn your lesson here, love—
—Jacky, mind what you’re about there!”
“John dear, MIND! you’ll break that window,
Come away, John, there’s a darling!—
Jane, love, put away that pin, do!—
Tom, do keep that dog from snarling!”—
“There! you’ve broke it, John!” “O please, ma,
—Couldn’t help it!”—(here a blubber)
(Enter Pa.) “Why how you tease ma!—
Peace, you little squalling lubber!”
“Pray, my dear, don’t let the children
Break the panes and roar like this now—
Lauk, the noise is quite bewild’ring!”
“Pa, give little Jane a kiss now.”
Sweet to be “shut in” and quiet,
Pleasant souls all snug together!
But when “brats” are there to riot,
Heaven defend us from wet weather!—
C. H. W.