Classic Poem

WELL! Let him sleep! Time enough to awake
When sunset ushers a kind release,
When cooling shadows the raft overtake.

For Madelon's heart will never break
For Alphonse, but for Verrier, fils,
So–let him sleep! Time enough to awake

When Verrier, dressed for Madelon's sake
In his best, is up the river a piece,
When cooling shadows the raft overtake.

A Carmen–she–whose eyelashes make
Havoc with all–old Boucher's niece–
So–let him sleep! Time enough to awake,

For a desperate thing is a bad heart-ache,
And one that may not entirely cease
When cooling shadows the raft overtake.

If they met, who knows–a spring, a shake,
A jack-knife, deadly as Malay crease–
Hush! Let him sleep! Time enough to awake
When cooling shadows the raft overtake.