ElegyOnCaptainMatthewHenderson

elegyoncaptainmatthewhenderson

agentlemanwhoheldthepatentforhishonoursimmediatelyfromalmightygod.

shouldthepoorbeflattered?—shakespeare.

odeath!thoutyrantfellandbloody!

themeikledevilwi'awoodie

haurltheehametohisblacksmiddie,

o'erhurcheonhides,

andlikestock-fishcomeo'erhisstuddie

wi'thyauldsides!

he'sgane,he'sgane!he'sfraeustorn,

theaebestfellowe'erwasborn!

thee,matthew,nature'ssel'shallmourn,

bywoodandwild,

wherehaply,pitystraysforlorn,

fraemanexil'd.

yehills,nearneighbourso'thestarns,

thatproudlycockyourcrestingcairns!

yecliffs,thehauntsofsailingearns,

whereechoslumbers!

comejoin,yenature'ssturdiestbairns,

mywailingnumbers!

mourn,ilkagrovethecushatkens!

yehaz'lyshawsandbrierydens!

yeburnies,wimplin'downyourglens,

wi'toddlindin,

orfoaming,strang,wi'hastystens,

fraelintolin.

mourn,littleharebellso'erthelea;

yestatelyfoxgloves,fairtosee;

yewoodbineshangingbonilie,

inscentedbow'rs;

yerosesonyourthornytree,

thefirsto'flow'rs.

atdawn,whenev'rygrassyblade

droopswithadiamondathishead,

atev'n,whenbeanstheirfragranceshed,

i'th'rustlinggale,

yemaukins,whiddinthro'theglade,

comejoinmywail.

mourn,yeweesongsterso'thewood;

yegrousethatcraptheheatherbud;

yecurlews,callingthro'aclud;

yewhistlingplover;

andmourn,wewhirringpaitrickbrood;

he'sganeforever!

mourn,sootycoots,andspeckledteals;

yefisherherons,watchingeels;

yeduckanddrake,wi'airywheels

circlingthelake;

yebitterns,tillthequagmirereels,