Classic Poem

Inscrib'd, (once at a Wedding ) to the Bashaws of Utopia

Once Juno's Bird (as Authors say)
Was seiz'd on by some Birds of Prey:
They pluck'd his Feathers, one by one,
Till all his useful Plumes were gone;
Stript him of ev'ry thing beside;
But left his Train, to please his Pride.

Some other Birds admir'd to see,
He tamely bore such Injury;
And often on his Patience jok'd —
He cry'd — They must not be provok'd :
I'm in their Power, nor shall debate,
But yield to my unhappy Fate.

Oft in this Plight would he resort,
To where the Eagle kept his Court:
For, tho' oppress'd, he still was proud
To make his Bows among the Croud.
The Eagle , gracious, saw him there;
Which envious Courtiers could not bear;
Well knowing, should he tread that Soil,
He would in time put in for Spoil.

As Tameness Injuries provokes,
In Birds, as well as mortal Folks;
The Peacock they assault again,
And strip him of his glitt'ring Train.

Enrag'd at this, he stampt and tore,
And quoted Precedents a score,
That Peacocks ever were allow'd
To show their Beauty to the Croud.

At this the haughty Courtiers sneer,
And cry, What Bus'ness have you here?
He had a Right, they plainly saw;
But let him know, that Pow'r is Law .

At length a Pheasant standing by,
Beheld him with a pitying Eye;
And said, You now begin too late,
To stem the Torrent of your Fate:
Yet are you not of all bereft;
For still a fair Retreat is left:
Why will you here neglected roam,
When you might be rever'd at home?