Hats Felt - On Arsenic and Mercury used in the Manufacture of Felt Hats
HATS FELT
'Wolfe's mad as a hatter! ' said French to their King,
'He should bite my commanders' the latter replied,
'For when victory smiles one says: 'Where is thy sting? '
to Death as its sickle appears by bedside.'
Though Mercury's drops felt by, through, fuzzy, felt
makes mind muzzy, ears buzzy, yet four poster bed
stayed surrounded by green drapes rayed sunbeams might melt:
thus green dye, st[r]eamed arsenic, poisoned mind, head.
This explains why green's held as both envy and threat
in artistic tradition especially in France,
so both strickening, mercury, should they be met
must be put out of mind, warn 'gainst trusting to chance.
For some lovers felt waiting too much of a weight,
where rich chubby hubby could lay down his arms,
early opted for action which led to style 'late'
and deceased he who ceased from all cause for alarms.
Thus browned off they would green who once green had appeared,
whose brown study turned muddy then grey day by day,
leaving lover, lithe lady, to lift long wait feared,
as late lord soon succumbed, rate their roll in the hay.
Thus the messenger gods signal sods may ensue
if you wear any nightcap unless it be white,
lets 'gap toothed' (see Chaucer, Bath’s wife) can continue
until these stanzas conclude with Good day or Good Night!
24 July 2008 revised with verses 4 & 5 added 17 January 2009
robi03_1780_robi03_0000 WXX_DLZ
for previous version see below
Hats Felt
Wolfe's mad as a hatter said French to their King,
'He should bite my commanders' the latter replied,
'For with victory one may say: Where is thy sting
to Death as its sickle appears by one's side.'
As Mercury's drops felt by through fuzzy and felt
makes mind fuzzy, ears buzzy, so four poster bed
was surrounded by green drapes which sunlight would melt:
but the green streamed from arsenic injured the head.
This explains why green's held as both envy and threat
in artistic tradition especially in France,
so both strickening, mercury, should they be met
must be put out of mind, remind taking a chance
may from messenger gods signal sods may ensue
from wearing a nightcap unless it be white,
and 'gap toothed' (see Chaucer) continue unto
this verse may conclude with Good day or Good Night
24 July 2008
robi03_1780_robi03_0000 WXX_DLZ
Hats Felt poem © Jonathan Robin
poem by Jonathan Robin
Added by Poetry Lover
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