1At five precisely out went La Marquise
2since Elgin left his nostrils in the stone
3replies like this the dumbstruck brain may tease
4one gathers rosebuds or grows old alone
5And yet ’twas he the beggar Fate just flings
6the North Wind Bites into his architrave
7in salads all chew grubs before they’ve wings
8till firemen come with hose-piped tidal wave
9Poetic licence needs no strain or stress
10shallots and sharks’fins face the smould’ring log
11and played their mountain croquet jungle chess
12One misses cricket hearth and croaking frog
13though bretzels take the dols from board-room drum
14they’re kings we’re mammal-cousins hi ho hum
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