Ten Thousand Pounds
Ten thousand Pounds (a-year), no more
Nor less will suit. A man is poor
Without his horses and his cows,
His city and his country house,
His salmon river and his moor;
And many things unmissed before
Would be desired and swell the score;
But ’tis enough when fate allows
Ten thousand Pounds.
But O, my babies on the floor;
My wife’s blithe welcome at the door;
My bread well-earned with sweat of brows;
My garden flowerful, green of boughs;
Friends, books;-I would not change ye for
Ten thousand Pounds.
Cosmo Monkhouse.