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Animal Rights History Timeline » [1785-1837] Romantic Age » Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

To A Young Ass

[1796 [1794] Samuel Taylor Coleridge, To A Young Ass [Written: 1794] in Poems (1796; London, 1803; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks).

Poor little Foal of an oppressed Race!
I love the languid Patience of thy face:
And oft with gentle hand I give thee bread,
And clap thy ragged Coat, and pat thy head.
But what thy dulled Spirits hath dismay'd,
That never thou dost sport along the glade?
And (most unlike the nature of things young)
That earth-ward still thy moveless head is hung!
Do thy prophetic Fears anticipate,
Meek Child of Misery ! thy future fate?—
The starving meal, and all the thousand aches
"Which patient Merit of the Unworthy takes?
Or is thy sad heart thrill'd with filial pain
To see thy wretched MOTHER'S shorten'd Chain?
And truly, very piteous is her Lot
Chain'd to a Log within a narrow spot
Where the close-eaten Grass is scarcely seen,
While sweet around her waves the tempting Green!
Poor Ass ! thy Master should have learnt to shew
Pity—best taught by fellowship of Woe!
For much I fear me, that He lives, like thee,
Half-famish'd in a land of Luxury!
How askingly its footsteps hither bend?
It seems to say, "And have I then one Friend?"
Innocent Foal! thou poor despis'd Forlorn!
I hail thee BROTHER—spite of the fool's scorn!
And fain would take thee with me, in the Dell
Of Peace and mild Equality to dwell,
Where TOIL shall call the charmer HEALTH his Bride,
And LAUGHTER tickle PLENTY'S ribless side!