| Here lies, whom hound did ne’er pursue, |
| Nor swifter greyhound follow, |
| Whose foot ne’er tainted morning dew, |
Nor ear heard huntsman’s hallo’,
|
| Old Tiney, surliest of his kind, |
| Who, nurs’d with tender care, |
| And to domestic bounds confin’d, |
Was still a wild Jack-hare.
|
| Though duly from my hand he took |
| His pittance ev’ry night, |
| He did it with a jealous look, |
And, when he could, would bite.
|
| His diet was of wheaten bread, |
| And milk, and oats, and straw, |
| Thistles, or lettuces instead, |
With sand to scour his maw.
|
| On twigs of hawthorn he regal’d, |
| On pippins’ russet peel ; |
| And, when his juicy salads fail’d, |
Slic’d carrot pleas’d him well.
|
| A Turkey carpet was his lawn, |
| Whereon he lov’d to bound, |
| To skip and gambol like a fawn, |
And swing his rump around.
|
| His frisking was at evening hours, |
| For when he lost his fear ; |
| But most before approaching show’rs, |
Or when a storm drew near.
|
| Eight years and five round rolling moons |
| He thus saw steal away, |
| Dozing out all his idle noons, |
And ev’ry night at play.
|
| I kept him for his humour’ sake, |
| For he would oft beguile |
| My heart of thoughts that made it ache, |
And force me to a smile.
|
| But now, beneath this walnut-shade |
| He finds his long, last home, |
| And waits in snug concealment laid, |
‘Till gentler Puss shall come.
|
| He, still more aged, feels the shocks |
| From which no care can save, |
| And, partner once of Tiney’s box, |
Must soon partake his grave.
|
David Morley
04 Aug 2009 20:54
| 
Tags: Poetry The Practice Of Poetry
| 
Comments (3)
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Amrita
Hi !
oo… such a sweet poem. The Hares in the picture are looking so cute.
With Regards
Amrita
08 Aug 2009, 13:18
Aishani
Cowper, through the portrayal of his hare has made it so real that the reader is bound to feel the grief of its loss along with the poet.
17 Aug 2009, 07:09
Sally Goldsmith
Have you read “The Leaping Hare” by George Ewart Evans and David Thomson? Lovely section about Cowper’s hares. My friend ChristineGregory about to bring out a fantastic book of her photographs of brown hares taken around the White Peak…..
23 Oct 2009, 21:24
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