Page:Poems Osgood.djvu/44

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34
a flight of fancy.

A FLIGHT OF FANCY
At the bar of Judge Conscience, stood Reason arraign'd,
The Jury impannell'd—the prisoner chain'd.
The Judge was facetious, at times, though severe,
Now waking a smile, and now drawing a tear;
An old-fashion'd, fidgety, queer-looking wight,
With a clerical air, and an eye quick as light.

"Here, Reason, you vagabond! look in my face;
I'm told you're becoming an idle scapegrace.
They say that young Fancy, that airy coquette,
Has dared to fling round you her luminous net;
That she ran away with yon, in spite of yourself,
For pure love of frolic—the mischievous elf.

"The scandal is whisper'd by friends and by foes,
And darkly they hint too, that when they propose