See the planets as they rise,
Each upon his starless way,
Look on us with angry eyes,
Do they not appear to say,
“Stupid fellow! hold your tongue!
‘Seek not thus to goad us on!
‘You in fact are much too young,
‘To offer your opinion!”
Seest thou not the mountains swell?
Seest thou not the trees draw near?
Ah me! I hear an angry bell!
Ah me! I see a waving spear!
Is not that an angry snake?
Lo! he twists his writhing tail!
Hear the hisses he doth make!
See his yellow coat of mail.
Distant howls still louder grown,
Angry mutterings sounding near,
All proclaim with solemn tone,
Something dreadful coming here!
Lo! it comes, a vision grim!
Puffing forth black coils of smoke!
While amid these terrors dim
I listened, thus the monster spoke,
“Clear the line there! clear the rails!
‘Stop the engine! hold there! steady!
‘Stoker! hand me up those pails!
‘Euston station! tickets ready!
‘Tickets ready! tickets! tick—”
Thus it spoke, and thus I acted;
Left these scenes of terrors quick,
And rushed home like one distracted.
B. B.