To a Lady's Breathing


( I ) 

Steep-up, he does, on a
        Ragged-staff depend:

               Straw pauper.

Still, his sheaved stuff,
        An Autumn currance with indolence spends.

He, tottering anatomy upon a perch
        Of weeds.

Sinking-ripe, sallow ragman, in the
        Senescence of Summer's seeds.

With a yeoman's fabric ( an enduring
        Half-cap declines ) unnumbered holes

Felled, fall, drop fold upon fulsome
        Fold. Third and twist.

( I say, thread and cord ).

To rival proper the addle lattice,
        Of intrince Autumn mould.

    ( II )

"What-desiccate-sole disquiet
        A scarecrow coquette?"

What fluent instrument,
        What fleshly organ's sough

Nips, even, compeer crow
        At rest of his rooky cabinet?
( Casual upon the marionette's strawy epaulet ).

Not themselves the throat, effeminate,
        Of long purples do beget

So, upon mouth-pins pull and stitches fret.

 The crow-keeper,
       ( Crucified on a tall grainèd cane ).




Crowkeeper (Cornelius Scarecrow esquire)