LORD LUCKY

by: Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)

      ord Lucky, by a curious fluke,
      Became a most important duke.
      From living in a vile Hotel
      A long way east of Camberwell

      He rose, in less than half an hour,
      To riches, dignity and power.
      It happened in the following way:—
      The Real Duke went out one day
      To shoot with several people, one
      Of whom had never used a gun.
      This gentleman (a Mr. Meyer
      Of Rabley Abbey, Rutlandshire),
      As he was scrambling through the brake,
      Discharged his weapon by mistake,
      And plugged about an ounce of lead
      Piff-bang into his Grace's Head——
      Who naturally fell down dead.

      His heir, Lord Ugly, roared, "You Brute!
      Take that to teach you how to shoot!"
      Whereat he volleyed, left and right;
      But being somewhat short of sight,
      His right-hand Barrel only got
      The second heir, Lord Poddleplot;
      The while the left-hand charge (or choke)
      Accounted for another bloke,
      Who stood with an astounded air
      Bewildered by the whole affair
      —And was the third remaining heir.

      After the Execution (which
      Is something rare among the Rich)
      Lord Lucky, while of course he needed
      Some help to prove their claim, succeeded.
      —But after his succession, though
      All this was over years ago,
      He only once indulged the whim
      Of asking Meyer to lunch with him.

"Lord Lucky" is reprinted from More Peers. Hilaire Belloc. London: Stephen Swift, 1911.

MORE POEMS BY HILAIRE BELLOC

RELATED LINKS

BROWSE THE POETRY ARCHIVE:

[ A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z ]

Home · Poetry Store · Links · Email · © 2004 Poetry-Archive.com