The Exiles

They were a merrie companie,
Who'd dwelt together all these years;
A little mixed in type, maybe;
Yet prone to mingle now as peers,
For old acquaintance sake; and so,
Bewilderment about them swirled
When told, abruptly, they must go,
From these snug shelves, back to the world.

Bill Sikes wept over Little Nell;
Pickwick and Cratchit cried, 'Too bad!'
Tom Pinch and Fagin said farewell;
Uriah Heep was humbly sad,
And Nickleby and Copperfield
Shook hands and said, 'Good-bye, old man!'
And even Daniel Quilp appealed
To gods of fiction 'gainst the ban.

Smike took his leave of Barney Rudge;
Pecksniff pledged Salry one last cup;
Micawber vowed he would not budge,
For something surely must turn up.
And something surely did; for news
Now spreads among the exiled clan
That some old friend, with kindly views,
Proposes to reverse the ban.

Sam Weller kisses Sally Brass;
Alf Jingle hugs old Bumble tight;
Scrooge dances with the Vardon lass,
And all are crazy with delight
Again a merrie companie
Or soon to be so, as before.
And Swiveller sighs, and says 'Thanks be,
Safe from my creditors once more!'