Thoughts at Lunch

FISH cakes! And there the fishes play
In blue-green seas and silver spray
Till moonrise goldens all the bay—
Fish cakes!

And in the half-light restless things
Glide by on glinting, glimmering wings,
And the wind sleeps, and sleeping sings,
And wakes —

And O, the wind is singing yet
In golden dawn and golden set
Of sun, though you and I forget!
Fish cakes!

For London shrills ‘Forget, forget!’
Drawing her mantle closer yet,
For cold, gray rain, and dingy, wet
Snowflakes!

And you are but a tale that’s told,
And life is full of grim and cold
Policemen, cinemas, and old
Fish cakes!