Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/506
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488
MY OLD HAT.
Green spring, and flowery summer, autumn brown,
And frosty winter came,—and went and came,
And still through all the seasons of two years,
In park and city, yea, at parties—balls—
The hat was worn and borne. Then folks grew wild
With curiosity, and whispers rose,
And questions passed about—how one so trim
In coats, boots, ties, gloves, trousers, could insconce
His caput in a covering so vile.
And frosty winter came,—and went and came,
And still through all the seasons of two years,
In park and city, yea, at parties—balls—
The hat was worn and borne. Then folks grew wild
With curiosity, and whispers rose,
And questions passed about—how one so trim
In coats, boots, ties, gloves, trousers, could insconce
His caput in a covering so vile.
A change came o'er the nature of my hat.
Grease-spots appeared—but, still in silence, on
I wore it, and then family, and friends
Glared madly at each other. There was one
Who said—but hold—no matter what was said;
A time may come when Iaway, away
Not till the season's ripe can I reveal
Thoughts that do lie too deep for common minds—
Till then the world shall not pluck out the heart
Of this my mystery. When I will, I will!
The hat was now greasy, and old, and torn,
But torn, old, greasy, still I wore it on.
Grease-spots appeared—but, still in silence, on
I wore it, and then family, and friends
Glared madly at each other. There was one
Who said—but hold—no matter what was said;
A time may come when Iaway, away
Not till the season's ripe can I reveal
Thoughts that do lie too deep for common minds—
Till then the world shall not pluck out the heart
Of this my mystery. When I will, I will!
The hat was now greasy, and old, and torn,
But torn, old, greasy, still I wore it on.
A change came o'er the business of this hat.
Women, and men, and children scowled on me—
My company was shunned—I was alone!
None would associate with such a hat—
Friendship itself proved faithless for a hat.
She that I loved, within whose gentle breast
I treasured up my heart, looked cold as death—
Love's fires went out—extinguished by a hat.
Of those who knew me best, some turned aside,
And scudded down dark lanes; one man did place
His finger on his nose's side, and jeered;
Others in horrid mockery laughed outright;
Yea, dogs, deceived by instinct's dubious ray,
Fixing their swart glare on my ragged hat,
Mistook me for a beggar, arid they barked.
Thus women, men, friends, strangers, lovers, dogs,
One thought pervaded all—it was my hat.
Women, and men, and children scowled on me—
My company was shunned—I was alone!
None would associate with such a hat—
Friendship itself proved faithless for a hat.
She that I loved, within whose gentle breast
I treasured up my heart, looked cold as death—
Love's fires went out—extinguished by a hat.
Of those who knew me best, some turned aside,
And scudded down dark lanes; one man did place
His finger on his nose's side, and jeered;
Others in horrid mockery laughed outright;
Yea, dogs, deceived by instinct's dubious ray,
Fixing their swart glare on my ragged hat,
Mistook me for a beggar, arid they barked.
Thus women, men, friends, strangers, lovers, dogs,
One thought pervaded all—it was my hat.
A change, it was the last, came o'er this hat,
For lo! at length the circling months went round:
The period was accomplished—and one day
This tattered, brown, old greasy coverture
(Time had endeared its vileness) was transferred
To the possession of a wandering son
Of Israel's fated race—and friends once more
For lo! at length the circling months went round:
The period was accomplished—and one day
This tattered, brown, old greasy coverture
(Time had endeared its vileness) was transferred
To the possession of a wandering son
Of Israel's fated race—and friends once more