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Title: Two Opinions
Author: Howard Pyle [
More Titles by Pyle]
(Ye first opinion)
A noisy chattering Magpie once
A talking gabbling hairbrained dunce
Came by where a sign-post stood.
He nodded his head with a modish air
And said "good day" for he wasn't aware
That the sign-post pointing its finger there
Was only a block of wood.
Quoth he, "An exceedingly sultry day.
T'is more like June than the first of May."
The post said never a word.
"I've just dropped over from Lincolnshire.
My home is in the Cathedral Spire--
The air is cooler and purer the higher
You get--as you've doubtless heard."
So on he chattered with never a stop,
And on and on till you'd think he would drop.
(The post was dumb as your hat.)
But so as the pie could say his say
He didn't care whether it spoke all day;
For thus he observed as he walked away--
"An intelligent creature that."
(Ye second opinion)
Now once when the sky was pouring rain,
The Magpie chanced to come by again--
And there stood the post in the wet.
"Helloa." said the Magpie. "What you here
Pray tell me I beg is there sheltering near--
A terrible day for this time of the year.
T'would make a Saint Anthony fret."
"I beg your pardon--I didn't quite hear."
(Then louder) "I say is there sheltering near"
But the post was as dumb as Death.
"What can't you answer a question pray
You will not--No--Then I'll say good-day."
And flirting his tail he walked away.
"You'r a fool." (this under his breath.)
L'ENVOY
The moral that this story traces
Is--Circumstances alter cases.
Howard Pyle
[The end]
Howard Pyle's poem: Two Opinions
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