Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-27
TIE MOSQUITO.

Fair insect that with thread.lke legs spread out,
And blood-extractibg bill. and ilmy wing,
Dost murmur, as thou slowly sailst about,
In pitiles5 ears, full many plaintive string,
And tell how little our large veins should bleed,
Would we but yield them 10 thy bitter need!
Unwilingly. own, aud, what is worse,
Full angry men hearken TO thy plant:
Thou gettest many brush and many a curse
For saying thou art gaunt and starved aud faint.
Even the old beggar while he asks for food,
Would kill thee, hapless stranger, il he could.
l call thee stranger, for the town, ween,
Has not the honor Of 80 proud birth
Thou comst from Jersey meadows fresh and green,
The offspring Of the gods though born on earth
For Titan was thy sire, and fair was she,
The ocean-nymph that nursed thy infancy.
Beneath the rushes was thy cradle swung,
And when at length tiny gauzy wings grew strong,
Abroad to gentle airs their folds were flung,
Rose in the sky, and bore thee soft along;
The south wind breathed to watt thee on thy way
Anc danced and sung beneath the billowy bay
Calm rose afar the city spires, ard thence
Came the deep murmur Of ITS thrOng oil men,
And as its grateful odor5 met thy sense,
They seemed the perfum IS uf thy native fen.
Fair lay its crowded streets, and at the sight
Thy tiny song grew shriller with delight.
At length thy pinion fiuttered IN Broadway
All, there fairy steps, and white necks kissed
By wanton airs, and eyes whose killing ray
Shone through the SNOWY wells like stars through
mist
And fresh at morn, on many cheek and chin,
Boomed the bright blood through the transparent
skin.
Sure these were sights to tempt an anchorte
What do | hear thy slender voice complain!
Thou wailest when talk OF beautYs light,
AS II 1t brought the memory of pain.
Thou art a wayward beng-wel. come near,
And pour thy tale of sorrow in mine
What says thou slanderer? rouge makes thee sick
Aud china boom at best is sorry food
And Rowlsnds KalydOr, il laid on thick,
PoisOns the thirsty wretch that bores for blood!
Go twas a just reward that met thy crime
But shun the sacrilege another time.
That bloom was made to look at-not to touch
To worshIp-not approach that radiant white
And well might sudden vengeance light such
AS dared, like thee, most impiously to bite.
Thou should have gazed at distance, and admired
Murmur'd thy admiration ana retired.
Thourt welcome to the town-but why come here
To blee brother poet, gluut like thee?
Alas ! tAe little blood have is dear,
Aud thin will be the banquet drawn from ME.
Look round-the pale-eved sisters in my cell,
The old acquaintances, Song and Famine, dwell.
Try some plump alderman. and suck the blood
Enriched by generous wine and costly meat;
On well filled skins sleek as thy native mud
FIX thy light pump, and press thy freckled feet.
Go to the men for whom in oceans halls,
The oyster breeds and the green turtle sprawls.
There oorks dr. ,wn, and the red vintage flows,
To fill the swelling veins for thee and now
The ruidy cheek and now the ruddier nose
Shall tempt thee, as thou fttest round the brow ;
And when the hour OF sleep its quiet brings,
No angry hand shall rise to brush thy wings
William Cullen Bryant-lS32.