322. THERE Similar Cases HERE was once a little animal, And on five toes he scampered Over Tertiary rocks. They called him Eohippus, And they called him very small, Said the little Eohippus, "I am going to be a horse! The Coryphodon was horrified, The Dinoceras was shocked; But he skipped away and mocked. Go view his father's bones. Said they, "You always were as small And mean as now we see, And that's conclusive evidence That you're always going to be. Why! You'd have to change your nature!" They considered him disposed of, And retired with gait serene; That was the way they argued There was once an Anthropoidal Ape, And everything that they could do So they naturally disliked him, And they gave him shoulders cool, And when they mentioned him at all They said he was a fool. Cried this pretentious Ape one day, And stand upright, and hunt, and fight, I'm going to cut down forest trees, And make my houses higher! I'm going to kill the Mastodon! Loud screamed the Anthropoidal Apes So they yelled at him in chorus, And when they gave him reasons Attempt was sure to fail. Said the sages, "In the first place, The thing cannot be done! And third and most conclusive, You would have to change your nature! There was once a Neolithic Man, Who made his chopping implements Unusually clever he, And he drew delightful Mammoths To his Neolithie neighbors, Who were startled and surprised, Said he, "My friends, in course of time, We shall be civilized! "We are going to live in cities! We are going to fight in wars! We are going to turn life upside down We are going to want the earth, and take As much as we can hold! "We are going to wear great piles of stuff Outside our proper skins! We are going to have Diseases! And Accomplishments!! And Sins!!! " Then they all rose up in fury Against their boastful friend, For prehistoric patience Cometh quickly to an end. Said one, "This is chimerical! Utopian! Absurd!" Said another, "What a stupid life! Too dull, upon my word!" Cried all," Before such things can come, You idiotic child, You must alter Human Nature!" And they all sat back and smiled. LILLA CABOT PERRY 323. Meeting After Long Absence I As she feared it would be ERE in this room where first we met, HERE And where we said farewell with tears, Here, where you swore Though you forget, My love shall deeper grow with years," Here, where the pictures on the wall, From off their shelves they beckon me. All here seems living! What is dead? What is the ghost I fear to see? |