Lapsus Calami (Aug 1891)/June 19, 1891

by James Kenneth Stephen

June 19, 1891.

All in a peaceful garden fair,
One night in leafy June,
There sat a wondrous lovely pair,
And waited for the Moon,

In silence, save where rustled by
A little creeping breeze,
Which swept the cobwebs from the sky,
And scarcely stirred the trees.

The one displayed in form and face
To all and sundry comers
The sweet accumulated grace
Of twenty happy summers.

The other, matronly and calm,
Was most divinely fair,
And each was stately as a palm,
And each had pale gold hair.

Between them, where a trailing bough
Obscured the moonlight pale,
Lounged a vast form with classic brow,
Unquestionably male.

There rose a mighty yellow Moon,
Across the tree-tops peering
Along the fleecy sky of June,
Through which she'll soon be steering

And when she saw each lovely maid
She clapped her silver hands;
"Such wondrous charms are rare" she said
"In all sublunar lands.

"But which is fairest?" long and loud
She shouted to the stars,
Which glittered in a golden crowd,
Like newly lit cigars.

Then from the zenith Vega slid,
And red Aldebaran
Rushed up the sky, as he was bid,
To meet the stately Swan;

And many dozen more appeared,
Till all the sky was bare,
And round the Satellite careered,
And vowed the scene was fair.

Then spake the Moon: "I'm sore distressed:
"Two beauteous forms I see:
"I can't say which I like the best:
"Decide the point for me.

"Such foolish puzzles, I declare,
"I hold in much abhorrence:
"Say if the lovelier of the pair
"Be A——— or F———"

Then peeping o'er each other's head,
The striking scene to scan,
The Stars unanimously said:—
"We much prefer the Man."