Social Commentaries
VIII. Bluecoat Boy
From Hawthorn and Lavender, with Other Verses
So went our boys when EDWARD SIXTH, the King,
Chartered CHRIST'S HOSPITAL, and died. And so
Full fifteen generations in a string
Of heirs to his bequest have had to go.
Thus CAMDEN showed, and BARNES, and STILLING-FLEET,
And RICHARDSON, that bade our LOVELACE be;
The little ELIA thus in NEWGATE STREET;
Thus to his GENEVIEVE young S. T. C.
With thousands else that, wandering up and down,
Quaint, privileged, liked and reputed well,
Made the great School a part of LONDON TOWN
Patent as PAUL'S and vital as BOW BELL:
The old School nearing exile, day by day,
To certain clay-lands somewhere HORSHAM way.
Cite this poem
MLA
Henley, William Ernest. “VIII. Bluecoat Boy.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/henley/179/.
Chicago
Henley, William Ernest. “VIII. Bluecoat Boy.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/henley/179/.
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