The Vampire
A fool there was and he made his prayer (Even as you and I!)To a rag and a bone and a hunk of hair (We called her the woman who did not care)But the fool he called her his lady fair (Even as you and I!) Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste And the work of our head and hand Belong to a woman who did not know (And now we know that she never could know) And did not understand!
A fool there was and his goods he spent (Even as you and I!)Honour and faith and a sure intent (And it wasn't the least what the lady meant)But a fool must follow his natural bent (Even as you and I!) Oh the toil we lost and the spoil we lost And the excellent things we planned Belong to the woman who didn't know why (And now we know that she never knew why) And did not understand!
The fool was stripped to his foolish hide (Even as you and I!)Which she might have seen as she threw him aside (But it isn't on record the lady tried)So some of him lived but the most of him died (Even as you and I!) And it isn't the shame and it isn't the blame That stings like a white hot brand It's coming to know that she never knew why (Seeing, at last, she could never know why) And never could understand!
Rudyard Kipling
Other author posts
The Way Through The Woods
They shut the road through the Seventy years ago Weather and rain have undone it again, And now you would never
The Camels Hump
The Camel's hump is an ugly lump Which well you may see at the Zoo; But uglier yet is the hump we get From having too little to do Kiddies and grown-ups too-oo-oo, If we haven't enough to do-oo-oo,
MAndrews Hymn
Lord, Thou hast made this world below the shadow of a dream, An', taught by time, I tak' it so — exceptin' always Steam
The Ladies
I've taken my fun where I've found it; I've rogued an' I've ranged in my time; I've 'ad my pickin' o' sweet'earts, An' four o' the lot was prime