Tom ORoughley

‘Though logic-choppers rule the town，
     And every man and maid and boy
     Has marked a distant object down，
     An aimless joy is a pure joy，‘
     Or so did Tom O‘Roughley say
     That saw the surges running by，
     ‘And wisdom is a butterfly
     And not a gloomy bird of prey.
     ‘If little planned is little sinned
     But little need the grave distress.
     What‘s dying but a second wind？
     How but in zig-zag wantonness
     Could trumpeter Michael be so brave？‘
     Or something of that sort he said，
     ‘And if my dearest friend were dead
     I‘d dance a measure on his grave.’