A canvas-back duck, rarely roasted, between us,
A bottle of Chambertin, worthy of praise
Less noble a wine at our age would bemean us
A salad of celery en mayonnaise,
With the oysters we've eaten, fresh, plump, and delicious,
Naught left of them now but a dream and the shells;
No better souper e'en Lucullus could wish us
Why, even our waiter regards us as swells.
Your dress is a marvel, your jewels show finely,
Your friends in the circle all envied your box;
You say Lilli Lehman sang quite too divinely
I know I can't lose on that last deal in stocks.
Without waits our footman to call for our carriage
Gad, how he must hate us, out there in the cold!
We rode in a hack on the day of our marriage,
Number two forty-six I was rolling in gold,
For I'd quite fifty dollars; and don't you remember
We drove down to Taylor's, a long cherished dream:
How grandly I ordered just think, in December!
Some cake, and two plates of vanilla ice-cream.
And how we enjoyed it! Your glance was the proudest
Among the proud beauties, your face the most fair;
I'm rather afraid, too, your laugh was the loudest;
I know we shocked every one we didn't care.
Now we'd care a great deal with two sons at college,
And daughters just out, whose sneers make you wince,
We've tasted the fruit of Society's knowledge
I don't think we've quite enjoyed anything since.
All through, dear? Now, don't wipe your mouth with the doily!
They're really not careful at all with their wine;
It wasn't half warmed the salad was oily
And I don't think the duck was remarkably fine.
Per Aspera Ad Astra
George Augustus Baker, Jr.
(1)
Poem topics: hate, marriage, noble, remember, fresh, dear, society, fruit, long, great, delicious, knowledge, face, mouth, cold, ice, cream, laugh, december, gold, Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Per Aspera Ad Astra poem by George Augustus Baker, Jr.
Best Poems of George Augustus Baker, Jr.