Memories

A. Very Pleasant

We're sitting in the opera house;

We're waiting for the curtain to arise

With wonders for our eyes;

We're feeling pretty gay,

And well we may,

"O, Jimmy, look!" I say,

"The band is tuning up

And soon will start to play."

We whistle and we hum,

Beat time with the drum.

We're sitting in the opera house;

We're waiting for the curtain to arise

With wonders for our eyes,

A feeling of expectancy,

A certain kind of ecstasy,

Expectancy and ecstasy... Sh's's's.

B. Rather Sad

From the street a strain on my ear doth fall,

A tune as threadbare as that "old red shawl,"

It is tattered, it is torn,

It shows signs of being worn,

It's the tune my Uncle hummed from early morn,

'Twas a common little thing and kind 'a sweet,

But 'twas sad and seemed to slow up both his feet;

I can see him shuffling down

To the barn or to the town,

A humming.