Page:The Atlantic Monthly Volume 2.djvu/751

1858.] That's the gentleman that he calls "the Professor," and I'm sure I hope there is sech a man; only all I can say is, I never see him, and none of my boarders ever see him, and that smart young man that I was speakin' of says he don't believe there's no sech person as him, nor that other one that he called "the Poet." I don't much care whether folks professes or makes poems, if they makes themselves agreeable and pays their board regular. I'm a poor woman, that tries to get an honest livin', and works hard enough for it; lost my husband, and buried five children

Excuse me, dear Madam, I said,—looking at my watch,—but you spoke of certain papers which your boarder left, and which you were ready to dispose of for the pages of the "Oceanic Miscellany."

The landlady's face splintered again into the wreck of the broken dimples of better days.—She should be much obleeged, if I would look at them, she said,—and went up stairs and got a small desk containing loose papers. I looked them hastily over, and selected one of the shortest pieces, handed the landlady a check which astonished her, and send the following poem as an appendix to my report. If I should find others adapted to the pages of the spirited periodical which has done so much to develop and satisfy the intellectual appetite of the American public, and to extend the name of its enterprising publishers throughout the reading world, I shall present them in future numbers of the "Oceanic Miscellany."

Do you know the Old Man of the Sea, of the Sea?

Have you met with that dreadful old man?

If you haven't been caught, you will be, you will be;

For catch you he must and he can.

He doesn't hold on by your throat, by your throat,

As of old in the terrible tale;

But he grapples you tight by the coat, by the coat,

Till its buttons and button-holes fail.

There's the charm of a snake in his eye, in his eye,

And a polypus-grip in his hands;

You cannot go back, nor get by, nor get by,

If you look at the spot where he stands.

Oh, you're grabbed! See his claw on your sleeve, on your sleeve!

It is Sinbad's Old Man of the Sea!

You're a Christian, no doubt you believe, you believe;—

You're a martyr, whatever you be!

—Is the breakfast-hour past? They must wait, they must wait,

While the coffee boils sullenly down,

While the Johnny-cake burns on the grate, on the grate,

And the toast is done frightfully brown.

—Yes, your dinner will keep; let it cool, let it cool.

And Madam may worry and fret,

And children half-starved go to school, go to school;—

He can't think of sparing you yet.

—Hark! the bell for the train! "Come along! Come along!

For there isn't a second to lose."

" (He holds on.) "Fsht! ding-dong! Fsht! ding-dong!"—

You can follow on foot, if you choose.

—There's a maid with a cheek like a peach, like a peach,

That is waiting for you in the church;—

But he clings to your side like a leech, like a leech,

And you leave your lost bride in the lurch.

—There's a babe in a fit,—hurry quick! hurry quick!

To the doctor's as fast as you can!

The baby is off, while you stick, while you stick,

In the grip of the dreadful Old Man!

—I have looked on the face of the Bore, of the Bore;

The voice of the Simple I know;

I have welcomed the Flat at my door, at my door;

I have sat by the side of the Slow;

I have walked like a lamb by the friend, by the friend,

That stuck to my skirts like a burr;

I have borne the stale talk without end, without end,

Of the sitter whom nothing could stir: