Sunday 28 February 2010

ALL THAT GLITTERS...


ON THE DEATH OF
A FAVOURITE OF CAT

'TWAS on a lofty vase's side,
Where China's gayest art had dy'd
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima reclin'd,
Gaz'd on the lake below.

Her conscious tail her joy declar'd;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw, and purr'd applause.

Still had she gaz'd; but midst the tide
Two beauteous forms were seen to glide,
The Genii of the stream;
Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue,
Through richest purple, to the view,
Betray'd a golden gleam.

The hapless Nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first, and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?

Presumptuous Maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulph between;
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smil'd.)
The slippery verge her feet beguil'd;
She tumbled headlong in.

Eight times emerging from the flood,
She mew'd to every watery God,
Some speedy aid to send.
No Dolphin came, no Nereid stir'd:
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard.
A favourite has no friend.

From hence, ye beauties, undeceiv'd,
Know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all, that glisters, gold.
.

Thomas Gray

2 comments:

Firieth said...

Dear Mr. O’Shea,

My real-life name is Andrea Johnson. I am currently a university student at a Christian university and enrolled in a class titled Honours Communication Skills. My upcoming speech assignment for this class requires me to tell the story of someone from a different cultural background from myself. As you are from Ireland and are a different gender and at a different life stage from myself, I thought of you as someone to potentially interview.

Would you consider this? Any information you might provide would be kept class-confidential. If you accept, I would need to send you the interview questions soon, because my speech is due Monday, the 15th of this month (March). Please consider my request and let me know your choice by this Saturday, so I can act on your response. Thank you!

God bless,
Andrea Johnson

Dew of Hermon said...

Hi Andrea,

I'd be delighted to assist with your project, you can email th questionnaire if you wish, my address is on my profile,

Gerry