The Shades of Night
By A.E. Houseman
[a parody of Longfellow, Excelsior]

The shades of night were falling fast
And the rain was falling faster,
When through an Alpine village passed
An Alpine village pastor;
A youth who bore mid snow and ice
A bird that wouldn’t chirrup,
And a banner, with the strange device —
‘Mrs. Winslow’s soothing syrup.

”Beware the pass,’ the old man said,
‘My bold and desperate fellah;
Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
And you’ll want your umberella;
And the roaring torrent is deep and wide —
You may hear how it washes.’
But still that clarion voice replied:
‘I’ve got my old goloshes.’

‘Oh stay,’ the maiden said, ‘and rest
(For the wind blows from the nor’ward)
Thy weary head upon my breast —
And please don’t think me forward.’
A tear stood in his bright blue eye
And gladly he would have tarried;
But still he answered with a sigh:
‘Unhappily I’m married.’