Though in green pea Yourself you needn’t stint In July sunny, In Januaree It really costs a mint— A mint of money! No lamb for us— House lamb at Christmas sells At prices handsome: Asparagus, In winter, parallels A Monarch’s ransom: When purse to bread and butter barely reaches, What is your wife to do for hot-house peaches? Ah! tell me that! Ah! tell me that! What _is_ your wife to do for hot-house peaches? Your heart and hand Though at my feet you lay, All others scorning! As matters stand, There’s nothing now to say Except—good morning! Though virtue be a husband’s best adorning, That won’t pay rates and taxes—so, good morning! THE INDEPENDENT BEE A HIVE of bees, as I’ve heard say, Said to their Queen one sultry day, “Please your Majesty’s high position, The hive is full and the weather is warm, We rather think, with a due submission, The time has come when we ought to swarm.” Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. Up spake their Queen and thus spake she— “This is a matter that rests with me, Who dares opinions thus to form? _I’ll_ tell you when it is time to swarm!” Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. Her Majesty wore an angry frown, In fact, her Majesty’s foot was down— Her Majesty sulked—declined to sup— In short, her Majesty’s back was up. Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. Her foot was down and her back was up! That hive contained one obstinate bee (His name was Peter), and thus spake he— “Though every bee has shown white feather, To bow to tyranny I’m not prone— Why should a hive swarm all together? Surely a bee can swarm alone?” Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. Upside down and inside out, Backwards, forwards, round about, Twirling here and twisting there, Topsy turvily everywhere— Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. Pitiful sight it was to see Respectable elderly high-class bee, Who kicked the beam at sixteen stone, Trying his best to swarm alone! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. Trying his best to swarm alone!