Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-12-29
POETRY.
RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW.
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RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW.
By Mr. Z. Hood.
Oh when ! was a tiny boy
NV days and nights were full of joy,
My mates were blithe and kind
No wonder that | sometimes sigh,
And dash the tear drop from my eye,
To cast a look behind!
hoop was an eternal round
Of pleasure. In those days l found
A top a joyous thing;-
Rut now those past delights drop.
NV head, alas! is all my top,
And careful thoughts the string.
NV marbles-once my bag was stored
Now I must play with Elgin's lord,
With Theseus for a taw!
NV playful horse has slipt his string.
Forgotten all his capering,
And harness'dt to the law!
Nv kite-how fast and far it few!
Whilst 1, a sort of Franklin, drew
My pleasure from the sky
Twas paper'd DER with studious themes.
The tasks wrote-my present dreams
Will never soar so high!
NV ioys are wingless all and dead;
MY dumps are made gilmore than lead;
NV flights soon find a fall:
NV fears prevail, my fancies droop,
JOY never cometh with a hoop,
And seldom with a call!
NY footballs laid upon the shelf
i am a shuttlecock myself
The world knocks to and fro;-
NV arclr ~ is all unlearned,
And grief against myself has turn'd
My arrows and my bow!
No more in noontide sun bask,
NV authsrship's an endless task,
NV heads meier ont of school:
NV heart is pain'd with scorn and slight,
have too many foes to fight,
And friends grown strangely cool.
The very chum that shared my cake
Holds out so cold a hand to shake,
1t makes me shrink and sigh.
On this will not dwell and hang,
The changeling would not feel 4 pang
Though these should meet his eye?
No skies so blue, or so serene
AS then;-nol leaves look half so green
AS clothed the playground tree!
All things I loved are alter'd so.
Nor does it ease my heart to know
That change resides in me!
oh. for the garb that mark'd the boy.
Il he liOWScTS NiAOC ~ SOi0oAC
Well linked with black and red;
The crowniess hat, meier deem'd an Ill
1t only let the sunshine still
Repose upon my head!
oh. Tor the riband round the neck!
The careless dog'sears apt to deck
NV book and collar both!
How can this formal man be styled
Merely an AlexsnIrine child,
Alloy of larP growth!
oh, for that sl,all, small beer anewl
And fheaven's own type) that mild sky-blue
T.. It washed my sweet meats down;
Yh. aaster eveni-and that small Turk
Tha: sagg'd me!-worse is now my work
A Tag for all the town!
Oh. tor the lessons lear ;! It!
Ay, tough the w = ss'iart
She al mark < a , i, IS again;
I'd skis No. &c resign'd
Beneath .oke, and even find
Some sugar in the cane!
The Arabian Nights rehearsed in bed,
The Fairy Tales in school time read,
By stealth, 'twixt verb and noun!
The angel form that al ways walk'd
In all my dreams, and look'd and talk'd
Exactly like Miss Brown!
The omne 6eae-Chris;mas come!
The prize of merit, won for home
Merit had prizes them
But now l write for days and day
For fame-adeal of empty
Without the silver pen
Then home, sweet hon, ne CROW ID oach-
The Joyous shout--the ,ud appr
The winding horns ne rams'i
The meeting sweet thai made NJ IL,
The sweetmeats almost 5000
No ssatis' to the .jams!'
When that wa 1tir".4y,
My days and nights were full of Joy,
My mates were blythe and kind!-
No wonder that / sometimes sigh,
And dash the tear.drop from my eye,
To cast a look behind