Prose took the minstrel's verse without a squeeze
His exaltation shocked both youth and crone
Replies like this the dumbstruck brain may tease
One gathers rosebuds or grows old alone
Oh how oh how he hates such pilferings
That metred rhyme alone can souls enslave
A daring baron pockets precious Mings
That every verbal shock aims to deprave
The fasting fakir doesn't smell the less
Shallots and sharks'fins face the smould'ring log
From cool Parnassus down to wild Loch Ness
No need to cart such treasures from the fog
The Taj Mahal has trinkets spice and gum
The best of all things to an end must come