Poems (Piatt)/Volume 2/A New Knight
A NEW KNIGHT.TO A SCHOOLBOY.
Here you sit with a picture-book, And stare at a knight with his armour on,While the bird that waited for you to look At his scarlet coat is surely gone.He sings too low and he sings too near?—It is Roland's horn you would like to hear?
Why, the horn of Roland was only blown Because there was something wrong, you know,When the world was dark. But the world has grown A trifle brighter since then, and soWe are looking around for some new knightWhose horn shall tell us of something right.
You like the one in the picture best? Oh, he does look well in his plume and steel;But only fancy if you were dressed In that odd fashion, how you would feel—Riding along, while the boys looked throughThe schoolroom windows and laughed at you!
You would storm some fortress?—You never will, You sleep and you dream too much for that.Take care lest the boy below the hill, With the one wild rose in his torn straw hat,Who climbs the rocks, while they re dim with dew,To bring you milk, make his squire of you!