Familiarity Dangerous

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



As in her ancient mistress’ lap
The youthful tabby lay,
They gave each other many a tap,
Alike disposed to play.

But strife ensues. Puss waxes warm,
And with protruded claws
Ploughs all the length of Lydia’s arm,
Mere wantonness the cause.

At once, resentful of the deed,
She shakes her to the ground
With many a threat that she shall bleed
With still a deeper wound.

But, Lydia, bid thy fury rest:
It was a venial stroke:
For she that will with kittens jest
Should bear a kitten’s joke.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

27 sec read
68

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB XXXX CDCD EFEF
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 486
Words 92
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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