Poetry of Hood
Thomas Hood
born 1798, died 1844
|
|
| |
The Wee Man
It was a merry company,
Anf they were just afloat,
When lo! a man, of dwarfish span,
Came up and hail'd the boat.
"Good morrow to ye, gentle folks,
And will you let me in? -
A slender space will serve ny case,
For I am small and thin."
They saw he was a dwarfish man,
And very small and thin;
Not seven such would matter much,
And so they took him in.
They laugh'd too see his little hat,
With such a narrow brim;
They laugh'd to note his dapper coat,
With skirts so scant and trim.
But barely had they gone a mile,
When, gravely, one and all,
At once began to think the man
Was not so very small.
His coat had got a broader skirt,
His hat a broader brim,
His leg grew stout, and soon plump'd out
A very proper limb.
Still on they went, and as they went,
More rough the billows grew, -
And rose and fell, a greater swell,
And he was swelling too!
And lo! where room had been for seven,
For six there scarce was space!
For five! - for four! - for three! - not more
Than two could find a place!
There was not even room for one!
They crowded by degrees -
Aye - closer yet, till elbows met,
And knees were jogging knees.
"Good sir, you must not sit a-stern,
The wave will else come in!"
Without a word he gravely stirr'd,
Another seat to win.
"Good sir, the boat has lost her trim,
You must not sit a-lee!"
With smiling face, and courteous grace,
The middle seat took he.
But still, by constant quiet growth,
His back became so wide,
Each neighbour wight, to left and right,
Was thrust against the side.
Lord! how they chided with themselves,
That they had let him in;
To see him grow so monstrous now,
That came so small and thin.
On every brow a drew-drop stood,
They grew so scared and hot, -
"I' the name of all that's great and tall,
Who are ye, sir, and what?"
Loud laugh'd the Gogmagog, a laugh
As loud as giant's roar -
"When first I came, my proper name
Was Little - now I'm Moore!"
>> Thomas Hood |
|
