Transcription
CATALOG NUMBER F&E 25
OBJECT NAME poem
DATE n.d
AUTHOR Florence “Little Florence”
RECIPIENT
MEDIUM Paper, ink
PEOPLE Edward Somerville Jaffray (“Papa”), Tubbs (mason), Chalmers
(plumber), Irving nieces,
PLACES Sunnyside, Niblo’s (theater),
KEYWORDS Sunnyside ducks, reply to Washington Irving?
Florence’s Reply
To
The lay of the Sunnyside ducks
Much belovèd Mr Irving
I received your charming letter
All about the Indian steamlet
All about the top knot ducklings
How my Pàpa, very selfish
Tried to dam up all the water
Tried to keep more than he ought to
But his efforts all were fruitlefs
Nought could stop that knowing water
Oh it would insist on going
Who could blame it for its action
Who resist such great attraction
Was not Sunnyside before it?
Was not Wolfert’s Roost inviting?
Was not he whom all look up to
He whom all admire and cherish
Drawing that sweet brooklet onward?
Not for top knot sucks t’was running
Not for water fowl or fishes
Not to make sweet water fallings
Not to course through rustic windings
Turn
[END OF PAGE 1]
Not to spite my dearest Pàpa
But to get to you _ was hastening
You, whom all, the Dux are calling
Of the present age of writers
You’re the Dux, the streamlets [^ People’s] leader
And we all desire to follow
And to go down hill to Wolfert’s
Undismayed by any dammings
Coming down by gently moonlight
Or in darknefs with a lantern __
Should you ask me how my Pàpa
Tried to stop the stream and couldn’t
I should answer I should tell you
In the drought of bye gone summer
People came with carts and horses
Very early in the morning
And they stole away the water!
Our Rain, (which Pàpa calls longfellow)
Author of the “Higher [wather?]”
Heaved a sigh and stopped his rammings
Much to all our consternation.
Pàpa said with indignation
“Send for *Tubbs, and send for [^ 8] Chalmers
I will build a wall and stop it”
But without his host he reckoned
Little did the streamlet tarry
*The mason [^ 8] The Plumber
[END OF PAGE 2]
But through crack, and leak, and cranny
Found its way, and ran on coolly
Laughing in its sleeve at Chalmers
Laughing loud at Tubbs’ efforts
Minnehaha! Laughing water!
Laughing at their foolish planning.
By the bye that just reminds me
That to visit me you promised
And to go with me to Niblo’s
Will you come to us on Friday?
Will you come and with us tarry?
With kind regards to your [^ Sweet] kind nieces.
I [^ ‘] a m your friend, the little
Florence.
[END OF PAGE 3]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
