The Life of the Grasshopper 



On every side they fuss and fret, 



Provoking an impatient jet ; 



Thou leavest soon the sprinkled rind, 



Its robber-rascals, far behind; 



Thy well purloined, each grins and skips 



And licks the honey from her lips. 



No tireless, quenchless mendicant 

 Is so persistent as the Ant; 

 %y^ Wasps, Beetles, Hornets, Drones and Flies, 



Sharpers of every sort and size. 

 Loafers, intent on ousting thee. 

 All are less obstinate than she. 



To pinch thy toe, thy nose to tweak, 

 To tickle face and loins, to sneak 

 Beneath thy belly, who so bold? 

 Give her the tiniest foothold, 

 The slut will march from side to side 

 Across thy wings in shameless pride. 



II 



Now here's a story that is told, 



Incredible, by men of old: 



Once starving on a winter's day 



By secret, miserable way 



Thou soughtest out the Ant and found 



Her spacious warehouse underground. 



That rich possessor in the sun 



Was busy drying, one by one, 



Her treasures, moist with the night's dew. 



Before she buried them from view 



22 



