O for the dream of those sunny days, Their bright unbroken spell, And thrilling sweet untutored praise-- From lips once loved too well!
O for the feeling of days agone, The simple faith and truth, The Spring of time, life's rosy dawn-- O for the love and the youth!
_If you swing in a hammock the summer day through, And you dream with profound assiduity, A new phase of content it will give unto you, Which philosophers call "Hammockuity"!_
ALL through the lazy afternoon, Beneath the sycamore, I listen to the distant Lune, Or slumber to its roar; 'Tis sweet to muse, to sleep or sing, When talk is superfluity; 'Tis sweet beneath the trees to swing, And practise hammockuity.
Forgotten here, I would forget The destiny fate weaves, The while I smoke a cigarette To music of the leaves; I wish my present lazy life A lengthy continuity; Away from trouble, care, and strife, In happy hammockuity!
While others work, while others play, Or love, or laugh, or weep; I watch the smoke-rings curl away, And almost fall asleep! I'd give up thought of future fame-- Despite such incongruity-- I'd forfeit riches, power, name, For blissful hammockuity!
I hate the booming busy bee Who dares to wake me up-- I wonder if it's time for tea, Or grateful cyder-cup? I would I could, beneath the trees, Repose in perpetuity, And swing, and sing, and take mine ease In lasting hammockuity!
TO Town, about the close of dull November, Up comes the Country Cousin, pray remember,-- The Cattle Show to visit in December!
Her winsome, watchet eyes, they are the sweetest, Her _chaussure_ and her gloves they are the neatest, Her toilette you'll consider the completest.
She's pretty, piquante, pouting, and capricious; So dainty, dimpled, daring, and delicious: She's joyful, and she's jaunty and judicious.
She loves to hear the latest tittle-tattle; On manners, music, crinoline, and cattle, And pictures, peers and poets will she prattle!
She often goes out shopping with her Mother, The Park she sometimes visits with her Brother-- She'd much prefer to stroll there with Another!
The gay _Mikado_ music sets her humming-- And how she likes the Temple kettle-drumming, With those who love to go chrysanthemumming!
She has no views on "rights" or vivisection, Finds politics a nuisance on reflection-- To bores she has a most supreme objection!