Good And Bad Luck. Translations. After Heine.

Good luck is the gayest of all gay girls,
    Long in one place she will not stay;
Back from your brow she strokes the curls,
    Kisses you quick and flies away.

But Madame Bad Luck soberly comes
    And stays, - no fancy has she for flitting, -
Snatches of true love-songs she hums,
    And sits by your bed, and brings her knitting.

John Hay

John Milton Hay was an American statesman and official whose government career stretched over almost half a century. He began as a private secretary to Abraham Lincoln, eventually becoming Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Aside from his political career, Hay was also a poet and writer, remembered for his influence on American literature and foreign policy.

John Hay

Love's Doubt.

John Hay, Simple Poetry

The Surrender Of Spain.

John Hay, Simple Poetry

To The Young. Translations. After Heine.

John Hay, Simple Poetry

Northward.

John Hay, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

The Wishing-Caps

Life's all getting and giving,
I've only myself to give.
What shall I do for a living?
I've only one life to live.
End it? I'll not find another.
Spend it? But how shall I best?
Sure the wise plan is to live like a man
And Luck may look after the rest!
Largesse! Largesse, Fortune!
Give or hold at your will.
If I've no care for Fortune,
Fortune must follow me still.

Bad Luck, she is never a lady
But the commonest wench on the street,
Shuffling, shabby and shady,
Shameless to pass or meet.
Walk with her once, it's a weakness!
Talk to her twice. It's a crime!
Thrust her away when she gives you "good day"
And the besom won't board you next time.
Largesse! Largesse, Fortune!
What is Your Ladyship's mood?
If I have no care for For...

Rudyard

Distiches.

I.

Wisely a woman prefers to a lover a man who neglects her.
    This one may love her some day, some day the lover will not.

II.

There are three species of creatures who when they seem coming are going,
    When they seem going they come:    Diplomates, women, and crabs.

III.

Pleasures too hastily tasted grow sweeter in fond recollection,
    As the pomegranate plucked green ripens far over the sea.

IV.

As the meek beasts in the Garden came flocking for Adam to name them,
    Men for a title to-day crawl to the feet of a king.

V.

What is a first love worth, except to prepare for a second?
    What does the second love bring?    Only regret for the first.

VI.

Health was wooed by the Romans in gr...

John Hay

A Blessing. Translations. After Heine.

When I look on thee and feel how dear,
    How pure, and how fair thou art,
Into my eyes there steals a tear,
And a shadow mingled of love and fear
    Creeps slowly over my heart.

And my very hands feel as if they would lay
    Themselves on thy fair young head,
And pray the good God to keep thee alway
As good and lovely, as pure and gay, -
    When I and my wild love are dead.

John Hay

Boudoir Prophecies.

One day in the Tuileries,
When a south-west Spanish breeze
    Brought scandalous news of the Queen,
The fair, proud Empress said,
"My good friend loses her head;
    If matters go on this way,
    I shall see her shopping, some day,
        In the Boulevard des Capucines."

The saying swiftly went
To the Place of the Orient,
    And the stout Queen sneered, "Ah, well!
    You are proud and prude, ma belle!
But I think I will hazard a guess
I shall see you one day playing chess
    With the Cure of Carabanchel."

Both ladies, though not over wise,
Were lucky in prophecies.
    For the Boulevard shopmen well
    Know the form of stout Isabel
        As she buys her modes de Paris;
And after Sedan in despair
The Empress prude a...

John Hay

Gypsy Songs

I

The faery beam upon you,
The stars to glister on you;
A moon of light
In the noon of night,
Till the fire-drake hath oergone you!
The wheel of fortune guide you,
The boy with the bow beside you;
Run ay in the way
Till the bird of day,
And the luckier lot betide you!

II

To the old, long life and treasure!
To the young all health and pleasure!
To the fair, their face
With eternal grace
And the soul to be loved at leisure!
To the witty, all clear mirrors;
To the foolish, their dark errors;
To the loving sprite,
A secure delight;
To the jealous, his own false terrors!

Ben Jonson

How Rudeness And Kindness Were Justly Rewarded

Once on a time, long years ago
(Just when I quite forget),
Two maidens lived beside the Po,
One blonde and one brunette.
The blonde one's character was mild,
From morning until night she smiled,
Whereas the one whose hair was brown
Did little else than pine and frown.
(I think one ought to draw the line
At girls who always frown and pine!)

The blonde one learned to play the harp,
Like all accomplished dames,
And trained her voice to take C sharp
As well as Emma Eames;
Made baskets out of scented grass,
And paper-weights of hammered brass,
And lots of other odds and ends
For gentleman and lady friends.
(I think it takes a deal of sense
To manufacture gifts for gents!)

The dark one wore an air of gloom,
P...

Guy Wetmore Carryl