Cambridge
Cambridge
Original Text
Arachnia, Occasional Verses (London: Macmillan, 1904: 14. Internet Archive.
1Two fitful lamps in the silent court
2 Scarce vigour enough can muster
3To throw on the nearest ivy-leaves
4 A faint and sickly lustre.
5My voiceless books on their dusty shelves
6 Hang drearily round and above me,
7For I'm a poor wretch with a Fellowship
8 And never a soul to love me. --
9One or two friends, good fellows enough,
10 Still linger about the old College;
11One or two bring me a noddle to stuff
12 With scrapings of Classical knowledge;
13One or two dons I don't care for a straw
14 In years and in learning above me; --
15Servants that live on one, cramming their maw, --
16 But never a soul to love me!
17Right it should be so; -- why should it not?
18 Love for the lovable only; --
19Yet a tup put to graze by himself for the rot
20 May be pardoned for saying he's lonely.
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
Data entry: Sharine Leung
RPO Edition
2012
Rhyme
Form