The Address of a superannuated Horse to his Master

who, on account of his (the Horse) being unable, from extreme old Age, to live through the Winter, had sentenced him to be shot.

And hast thou fix’d my doom, sweet Master say?
And wilt thou kill thy servant, old and poor?
A little longer let me live, I pray,
A little longer hobble round thy door.

For much it glads me to behold this place,
And house within this hospitable shed;
It glads me more to see my Master’s face,
And linger near the spot where I was bred.

For oh! to think of what we both enjoy’d,
In my life’s prime, ere I was old and poor!
When from the jocund morn to eve employ’d.
My gracious master on this back I bore!

Thrice told ten years, have danced on down along
Since first these way-worn limbs to him I gave;
Sweet smiling years; when both of us were young,
The kindest master, and the happiest slave.

Ah, years sweet smiling, now for ever flewn,
Ten years thrice told, alas, are as a day!
Yet, as together we are aged grown,
Let us together wear our age away.

For still the times, long past, are dear to thought;
And rapture mark’d each minute as it flew;
To youth and joy all change of seasons brought,
Pains that were soft, or pleasures that were new.

E’en when thy love-sick heart felt fond alarms,
Alternate throbbing with its hopes and fears;
Did I not bear thee to the fair one’s arms.
Assure thy faith, and dry up all thy tears?

And hast thou fix’d my death, sweet Master, say?
And wilt thou kill thy servant, old and poor?
A little longer let me live, I pray,
A little longer hobble round thy door.

Ah! couldst thou bear to see thy servant bleed?
Ev’n tho’ thy pity has decreed his fate,
And yet, in vain thy heart for life shall plead,
If nature has deny’d a longer date.

Alas! I feel ‘tis nature dooms my death,
I feel, too sure, ‘tis pity deals the blow:
But ere it falls, oh nature take my breath,
And my kind master shall no bloodshed know.

Ere the last hour of my allotted life,
A softer fate shall end me old and poor;
Timely shall save me from th’ uplifted knife,
And gently stretch me at my master’s door.