Sir,
From the Lazaretto’s lofty cells,
Where Freedom comes not, but where Hunger dwells,
Where floors, walls, ceilings,—all of Malta stone,—
Have long replied to many a prisoner’s moan;
Where, while we wake, we ‘re stung by many a gnat,
And, while we sleep, are robbed by many a rat,—
Your servant, who, you know, is not a stoic
(Though here one ought to be), begs your permission,
In a few lines, and somewhat less heroic
Than are these first, to send you his petition;—
Which humbly showeth;—
Here are four
As hearty men as walked the planet,
Who’re running up a frightful score,
(‘T is now five days since we began it,)
For baked, stewed, roasted, with McAlif;
And, as we’re earning nothing here,
But eating beef and drinking beer,—
We speak not now of eau de vie,
And rum, and lemon ratafia,—
We really begin to fear
That we shall all be after meeting,
On our way homeward, a “bum-bailiff,”
With his tipped staff, and civil “greeting.”
Now, should our commissary set a
Bull-dog like this upon our track,
Who, on our entering Valetta,
Should seize, and hold, or drag us back;
Or, on such “livery of seisin,”
Should take us to a debtor’s prison,
Our case were obviously still harder;
For there McAlif keeps no larder;—
And, what is worse, when once in there,
We fear, the whole corps sanitaire
Might deem it somewhat too erratic,
Even in ten days to give us pratique.
Fear ye the plague from such as we?
Consider, pray, from whence we’ve come;—
Some from Corf
(John Pierpont)
More Poetry from John Pierpont:
John Pierpont Poems based on Topics: Sleep, Fear, Astronomy & Cosmology- The Portrait (John Pierpont Poems)
- News-Carrier (John Pierpont Poems)
- Moslem Worship (John Pierpont Poems)
- Hymns and Odes for Temperance Occasions XIV: The Drunkard's Funeral (John Pierpont Poems)
- A Birthday In Scio (John Pierpont Poems)
- To A Friend (John Pierpont Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Sleep Poems, Fear Poems, Astronomy & Cosmology PoemsBased on Keywords: malta, stewed, stone-, bull-dog, commissary, lazaretto, corf, beer-, seisin, pratique