Poems

<h4><SPAN name="SONNET" id="SONNET"></SPAN>SONNET</h4> <p><span style="margin-left: 2.5em;"><span class="font">ON HEARING A LANDLORD ACCUSED (FALSELY, FOR</span></span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2.5em;"><span class="font">ALL THE BARD CAN SAY) OF NEGLECTING ONE OF THE</span></span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2.5em;"><span class="font">NUMEROUS WHITE HORSES THAT WERE OR WERE NOT</span></span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 2.5em;"><span class="font">CONNECTED WITH ALFRED THE GREAT</span></span><br/> <br/> If you have picked your lawn of leaves and snails,<br/> If you have told your valet, even with oaths,<br/> Once a week or so, to brush your clothes.<br/> If you have dared to clean your teeth, or nails,<br/> While the Horse upon the holy mountain fails&mdash;<br/> Then God that Alfred to his earth betrothes<br/> Send on you screaming all that honour loathes,<br/> Horsewhipping, Hounsditch, debts, and <i>Daily Mails</i>.<br/> <br/> Can you not even conserve? For if indeed<br/> The White Horse fades; then closer creeps the fight<br/> When we shall scour the face of England white,<br/> Plucking such men as you up like a weed,<br/> And fling them far beyond a shaft shot right<br/> When Wessex went to battle for the creed.<br/> <br/><br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />