Melancholetta E-book

                                      1869
                                 MELANCHOLETTA

                                by Lewis Carroll









Electronically Enhanced Text (c) Copyright 1996, World Library(R)



                        MELANCHOLETTA
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                WITH saddest music all day long
                  She soothed her secret sorrow:
                At night she sighed "I fear 'twas wrong
                  Such cheerful words to borrow.
                Dearest, a sweeter, sadder song
                  I'll sing to thee to-morrow."
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                I thanked her, but I could not say
                  That I was glad to hear it:
                I left the house at break of day,
                  And did not venture near it
                Till time, I hoped, had worn away
                  Her grief, for nought could cheer it!
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                My dismal sister! Couldst thou know
                  The wretched home thou keepest!
                Thy brother, drowned in daily woe,
                  Is thankful when thou sleepest;
                For if I laugh, however low,
                  When thou'rt awake, thou weepest!
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                I took my sister t'other day
                  (Excuse the slang expression)
                To Sadler's Wells to see the play
                  In hopes the new impression
                Might in her thoughts, from grave to gay
                  Effect some slight digression.
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                I asked three gay young dogs from town
                  To join us in our folly,
                Whose mirth, I thought, might serve to drown
                  My sister's melancholy:
                The lively Jones, the sportive Brown,
                  And Robinson the jolly.
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                The maid announced the meal in tones
                  That I myself had taught her,
                Meant to allay my sister's moans
                  Like oil on troubled water:
                I rushed to Jones, the lively Jones,
                  And begged him to escort her.
                                                    
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                Vainly he strove, with ready wit,
                  To joke about the weather-
                To ventilate the last "on dit"-
                  To quote the price of leather-
                She groaned "Here I and Sorrow sit:
                  Let us lament together!"
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                I urged "You're wasting time, you know
                  Delay will spoil the venison."
                "My heart is wasted with my woe!
                  There is no rest- in Venice, on
                The Bridge of Sighs!" she quoted low
                  From Byron and from Tennyson.
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                I need not tell of soup and fish
                  In solemn silence swallowed,
                The sobs that ushered in each dish,
                  And its departure followed,
                Nor yet my suicidal wish
                                                    
                  To be the cheese I hollowed.
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                Some desperate attempts were made
                  To start a conversation;
                "Madam," the sportive Brown essayed,
                  "Which kind of recreation,
                Hunting or fishing, have you made
                  Your special occupation?"
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                Her lips curved downwards instantly,
                  As if of india-rubber.
                "Hounds in full cry I like," said she:
                  (Oh, how I longed to snub her!)
                "Of fish, a whale's the one for me,
                    It is so full of blubber!"
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                The night's performance was "King John".
                  "It's dull", she wept, "and so-so!"
                Awhile I let her tears flow on,
                  She said they soothed her woe so!
                                                    
                At length the curtain rose upon
                    "Bombastes Furioso".
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                In vain we roared; in vain we tried
                  To rouse her into laughter:
                Her pensive glances wandered wide
                  From orchestra to rafter-
                "Tier upon tier!" she said, and sighed;
                    And silence followed after.
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                             THE END