Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MY CASTLE IN SPAIN, by JOHN GODFREY SAXE Poet's Biography First Line: There's a castle in spain, very charming to see Last Line: I might live the year round in my spanish chateau! Subject(s): Castles; Spain | ||||||||
THERE'S a castle in Spain, very charming to see, Though built without money or toil Of this handsome estate I am owner in fee, And paramount lord of the soil; And oft as I may I'm accustomed to go And live, like a king, in my Spanish Chateau! There 's a dame most bewitchingly rounded and ripe, Whose wishes are never absurd; Who does n't object to my smoking a pipe, Nor insist on the ultimate word; In short, she's the pink of perfection, you know; And she lives, like a queen, in my Spanish Chateau! I've a family too; the delightfulest girls, And a bevy of beautiful boys; All quite the reverse of those juvenile churls Whose pleasure is mischief and noise; No modern Cornelia might venture to show Such jewels as those in my Spanish Chateau! I have servants who seek their contentment in mine, And always mind what they are at; Who never embezzle the sugar and wine, And slander the innocent cat; Neither saucy, nor careless, nor stupidly slow Are the servants who wait in my Spanish Chateau! I have pleasant companions; most affable folk, And each with the heart of a brother; Keen wits, who enjoy an antagonist's joke, And beauties who're fond of each other; Such people, indeed, as you never may know, Unless you should come to my Spanish Chateau! I have friends, whose commission for wearing the name In kindness unfailing is shown; Who pay to another the duty they claim, And deem his successes their own; Who joy in his gladness, and weep at his woe; You'll find them (where else?) in my Spanish Chateau! "O si sic semper!" I oftentimes say (Though't is idle, I know, to complain), To think that again I must force me away From my beautiful castle in Spain! Ah! would that my stars had determined it so I might live the year round in my Spanish Chateau! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOR AL-TAYIB SALIH by KHALED MATTAWA MESSAGES AS TRANSLATION by MICHAEL S. HARPER THE VALLEY OF THE FALLEN by CAROLYN KIZER ON GREDOS by MIGUEL DE UNAMUNO SPANISH SONNETS: 1 by JOHN UPDIKE SPANISH SONNETS: 5 by JOHN UPDIKE SPAIN, TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME by CESAR VALLEJO DEATH AND CUPID; AN ALLEGORY by JOHN GODFREY SAXE |
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