Page:Two Mock Epics (Hanuman and Tantum Religio), Lyrics, Post Meridian Verse, The Turret Captain's Toast and other Verses.pdf/113

 Showing his Holiness at home

In such pomp, pageantry and splendour

As lithographs alone can render.

There was his park so vast and stately,

With immemorial trees embellished,

A gilded litter, where sedately

He lounged and Nature’s beauties relished,

And to escort him to his palace

Troops of retainers, pages, valets.

As many more their lord awaited

Upon the dazzling marble scala,

And bowing lowly reinstated

His godhead in his dining sala,

And brought an ewer of alabaster

To wash the fingers of their master.

He dined off plates of solid gold,

Quaffed choicest wines from cups of amber,

And when the silver doors unfold,

Lo! to escort him to his chamber,

Are other pages, other valets,

With crystal lamps and opal chalice,

And in the chamber ’tis no shock

Of moulded straw on which he tosses,

But whitest fleeces of the flock

And snowiest lawn and silken flosses

Fine as the diadem the spider

Of autumn weaves, and quilts of eider.

Such grave discrepancies, no wonder

Pat’s dark, suspicious nature puzzled.

It brooded o’er his brows in thunder

To think perhaps he had been chuzzled,

And every day brought fresh conviction