The high road stretches straight and white
Away
To dreamy distance, on and on--
The day
Dawns sharp and foggy; nips the driver’s
Nose,
Despite his costly furs. Zounds! How
It blows!
The motor purrs!--Our mobile seems
To fly,
Nor touch the ground... (Pneumatic
Mystery!)
The motor purrs!--Farewell wood, field
And stream!
Once on the road, we’ve scanty time
To dream!
The motor purrs!--Look out! A sheer
Decline.
Temptation whispers: Faster here!
It’s fine!
Faster? It’s madness! Yes, I know!--
But on!
Full speed down hill! Another record
Gone!...
The driver plunges out of view...
See, there
He climbs the distant slope again.
I swear
He’d scale Olympus! Yet that course
Is clear
From many mishaps that beset
Us here!
We crush a curséd mongrel in
The dust!
Slow down to miss an English spinster,
Just
Graze by her on her clumsy, ancient
Wheel!--
Rout ducks and chickens, set the pigs
A-squeal!
It’s not _our_ fault! We can’t be kept
All day
To clear the road!... Speed on!--Away!
Away!...