Explore "Poverty Row" by Helen Gray Cone on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Brave old neighbours in Poverty Row, / Why should we grudge to dwell with you? / Pinch of poverty well ye know -- / Doubtful dinner and clouted shoe. / Grinned the wolf at your doors, and yet / You sang your songs and you said your say. / Lashed to labour by devil Debt, / All were manful, and some were gay.
What, old Chaucer! a royal jest / Once you made in your laughing verse: / "No more goldfinch-song in the nest -- / Autumn nest of the empty purse! " / Master Spenser, your looks are spare; / Princes' favours, how fleet they be! / Thinking that yours was the selfsame fare, / Crust or crumb shall be sweet to me.