Social Commentaries

Aestivation

by Oliver Wendell Holmes 1809–1894

From Poems from the Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table (1857–1858)

Social Commentaries

In candent ire the solar splendor flames;
The foles, langueseent, pend from arid rames;
His humid front the Give, anheling, wipes,
And dreams of erring on ventiferous riper.

How dulce to vive occult to mortal eyes,
Dorm on the herb with none to supervise,
Carp the suave berries from the crescent vine,
And bibe the flow from longicaudate kine!

To me, alas! no verdurous visions come,
Save yon exiguous pool's conferva-scum,--
No concave vast repeats the tender hue
That laves my milk-jug with celestial blue!

Me wretched! Let me curr to quercine shades!
Effund your albid hausts, lactiferous maids!
Oh, might I vole to some umbrageous clump,--
Depart,--be off,--excede,--evade,--erump!

MLA

Holmes, Oliver Wendell. “Aestivation.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/holmes/151/.

Chicago

Holmes, Oliver Wendell. “Aestivation.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/holmes/151/.

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