THE MOANING OF THE BARDS.

No moaning of the _bards_! A pleasant quip!
No manufactured gloom to dim that far light!
Of dirge's luxury deprive my lip?
So suns might say there shall be no more starlight!

Lamping is _not_ required at day's full noon,
Lanterns _are_ out of place in dawn's fair flush-light;
But when dark night sets in, and there's no moon,
There is a chance for stars, or even a rushlight.

No moaning of the bards? That were hard lines
For minor line-spinners, imperial TENNYSON!
Owls only have their chance when day declines,
That's why the night-birds crown thee with prompt benison.

LEWIS has wailed and warbled--twiddlingly:
ALFRED has--rootley-tootlely--wailed and warbled;
WILLIAM's young Muse hath wept--then why not Me,
Whose brow, not less than theirs, with woe is marbled?

ROBERT and AUSTIN (DOBSON) took their turns;
There is some talk, too, of Sir THEODORE MARTIN.
Seeing _my_ lips, too, thrill, _my_ heart, too, burns,
Why the great contest should I take no part in!

May be I do not carry guns enough
To epically glorify King ARTHUR,
But I have penned some reams of rhythmic stuff
Concerning (please admire the rhyme!) SIDDARTHA.

(That, as an "assonance," is quite as good
As "_sang_ it," and "_began_ it.") Ornamental
And Eastern Mythos draws me; but I'm good
At "Poems National and Non-Oriental."

I love the Hindoos, I adore the Japs;
I'm fond of scraps of Oriental lingo;
Yet I'm a patriot, and have hymned, perhaps,
As much as most, my native god, great Jingo!

I think a Muse with twinkly almond orbs,
Would--as a change--in England prove most fetching;
Is it not plain Jap Art our Art ahsorbs!
Why not in singing, then, as well as sketching?

I'm sure my "GEISHA" is as good a girl
As _Vivien_, or _Faustine_, or e'en _Dolores_.
Is she more frail, less fair, that perfect pearl
Of Singing Girls, Xipangu's great'st of glories?

Knocks her nice little flat nose on the floor,
In Japanese politeness, my "Half Jewel."
ALGERNON's nymphs, in song or in _amour_
Are always coarse and generally cruel.

"_Pearls of the Faith_," is a most pious work,
Although AL-MUTAHALI is the stringer.
But only he who hates "The Unspeakable Turk,"
On _that_ account would blame the Christian singer!

"Lotus and Jewel!" Doesn't that sound nice?
My mild Jap Muse _may_