Rhode Island Republican

POETRY

From the NORTHERN BUDGET

A FAREWELL TO MT. PLEASANT

FAREWELL Mt. Pleasant! prison's gate!
With joy I quit thy hold,
And fondly hope my wretched fate
Will drive me here no more.
Too long I've liv'd (four months is long,
In this detested place)
Devoid of social joy, and song,
And Friendship's sweet embrace.
What fool would longer here remain,
Who his two legs can use---
Toil like a slave for little gain,
Yet half that little lose?
Shall I stay here—with hunger pine—
Grow lean from day to day.
When Int'rest, Pleasure, Friendship, join
To beckon me away.
Stay here! Absurd. In this curst spot
True friendship ne'er was known;
E'en Love, blest passion! is forgot,
While Vice usurps her throne.
With ease a fasting monk, so pure,
Might here his vows observe;
Here brightest worth might die obscure,
And modest merit starve,
Here poverty, with hatchet-face,
Despotic, reigns alone;
With crown of straw her temples grac'd—
A dungbill forms her throne.
Her famish'd court—a blue-nosed band,
With clattering teeth and knees,
Around her throne in terror stand,
And hear her stern decrees.
Here bow-back'd Kate, and Famine gaunt,
Muse o'er their sev'ral woe;
Labor, half naked, looks askant,
As fearful of the crow.
His skinny lips, pale Hunger gnaws:
While These (who stands aside)
His tatter'd covering closer draws,
A pilfer'd bone to hide.
Here hard'ned knave, and shameless punk,
Undaunted, stalk around;
Red-ey'd Intemperance, dead drunk,
Lies sprawling on the ground.
Around her sun-burnt subjects throng,
In pen'ry's meanest plight;
Doom'd to hard labor all day long,
Yet poorer every night.
Hard thraldom! penance most severe
Yet still oblig'd to stay;
Too poor to live, they linger here—
Too poor to run away.
The cries of want, and jest obscene,
And misery's moans are there,
And grief's low sigh—loud oaths profane,
And shrieks of wild despair.
Such scenes as these my entrails wring,
Starvation waits my stay:
Hunger lends wings to aid my flight,
And hurries me away.
Waft me ye breezes of the South,
Far from this northern retreat,
Where plenty reigns, and "Labor's mouth"
Is fill'd with bread and meat:
Where unrestrain'd by poverty,
I may with hearty zeal,
Once more enjoy the luxury
Of eating a Full Meal.
Then hail my under Shanks' lean frame
A jillier Form and gait:
My cheeks be flush'd with vigor's bloom—
My ribs be cloth'd with fat.
Then Shall I thank these gen'rous friends
Who snatch'd me out of evil;
And care not tho' some whirlwind sends
Mt. Pleasant to the d—l.