Etchings in Verse (Underhill)/To Mrs. Herrick
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TO MRS. HERRICK.
I have learned that the final decision as to the acceptance or rejection of poetry for the Century Magazine lies with a Mrs. Herrick, of Bergen Point, New Jersey.
AS I muse alone and dream,
And write verses by the ream,
Upon Spring, and April's changes climateric,
I infer, as here I sit,
That you'll give my muse the mitt
When you read my rugged verses, Mrs. Herrick.
And write verses by the ream,
Upon Spring, and April's changes climateric,
I infer, as here I sit,
That you'll give my muse the mitt
When you read my rugged verses, Mrs. Herrick.
I have sent you, o'er and o'er,
Squibs, and poems by the score—
Their number would exhaust all words numeric—
But your taste was quite too fine
To think of me or mine:
You quite ignored my genius, Mrs. Herrick.
Squibs, and poems by the score—
Their number would exhaust all words numeric—
But your taste was quite too fine
To think of me or mine:
You quite ignored my genius, Mrs. Herrick.
My numbers have been bold,
And bad, as those of old
Recited in religions esoteric;
But, at times, my muse is chaste,
And around her glowing waist
One ne'er could put his arm, dear Mrs. Herrick.
And bad, as those of old
Recited in religions esoteric;
But, at times, my muse is chaste,
And around her glowing waist
One ne'er could put his arm, dear Mrs. Herrick.
Now, I've madrigals, and rhymes
Of the golden olden times,
And love songs that would drive a girl hysteric;
I have triolets, rondeaux,
And a drinking-song or so
I could give you, if you'd take them, Mrs. Herrick.
Of the golden olden times,
And love songs that would drive a girl hysteric;
I have triolets, rondeaux,
And a drinking-song or so
I could give you, if you'd take them, Mrs. Herrick.
I've didactic poems, odes
On the "annotated codes,"
Lines upon the church and verses monasteric;
I have sonnets and quatrains,
And prologues—yes; and brains!
Tho' you seem inclined to doubt it, Mrs. Herrick.
On the "annotated codes,"
Lines upon the church and verses monasteric;
I have sonnets and quatrains,
And prologues—yes; and brains!
Tho' you seem inclined to doubt it, Mrs. Herrick.
I have elegies, nocturnes
Where the lover sighs, and yearns,
Songs ancient; yes, and measures neoteric.
Here are fifteen villanelles,
And a score of light rondels,
With a sapphic, at a bargain, Mrs. Herrick.
Where the lover sighs, and yearns,
Songs ancient; yes, and measures neoteric.
Here are fifteen villanelles,
And a score of light rondels,
With a sapphic, at a bargain, Mrs. Herrick.
Now I think a small ballade
Wouldn't go so very bad—
Thrown in to make my fame less ephemeric:
And perhaps this neat pantoum
Might find sufficient room
In "Bric-à-Brac" next August, Mrs. Herrick.
Wouldn't go so very bad—
Thrown in to make my fame less ephemeric:
And perhaps this neat pantoum
Might find sufficient room
In "Bric-à-Brac" next August, Mrs. Herrick.
These epics are sublime;
But I ne'er have got a dime
From magazines that publish verse Homeric;
And I've often wondered why
I've received the same reply:
"Declined with thanks &c.", Mrs. Herrick.
But I ne'er have got a dime
From magazines that publish verse Homeric;
And I've often wondered why
I've received the same reply:
"Declined with thanks &c.", Mrs. Herrick.
Now, if I could only find
Out your qualities of mind—
In fact, get down to principles generic,
I'd go ahead and write
Ten cantos here to-night,
And send you in a quarto, Mrs. Herrick.
Out your qualities of mind—
In fact, get down to principles generic,
I'd go ahead and write
Ten cantos here to-night,
And send you in a quarto, Mrs. Herrick.