My only claim is this, With labor stiff and stark, By lawful turn, my living to earn, Between the light and dark; My daily bread, and nightly bed, My bacon, and drop of beer-- But all from the hand that holds the land, And none from the overseer! No parish money, or loaf, No pauper badges for me, A son of the soil, by right of toil Entitled to my fee. No alms I ask, give me my task: Here are the arm, the leg, The strength, the sinews of a Man, To work, and not to beg. Still one of Adam's heirs, Though doom'd by chance of birth To dress so mean, and to eat the lean Instead of the fat of the earth; To make such humble meals As honest labor can, A bone and a crust, with a grace to God, And little thanks to man! A spade! a rake! a hoe! A pickaxe, or a bill! A hook to reap, or a scythe to mow, A flail, or what ye will-- Whatever the tool to ply, Here is a willing drudge, With muscle and limb, and woe to him Who does their pay begrudge! Who every weekly score Docks labor's little mite, Bestows on the poor at the temple door, But robb'd them over night. The very shilling he hoped to save, As health and morals fail, Shall visit me in the new Bastille, The Spital, or the Gaol! STANZAS.[19] [Footnote 19: Hood's last verses. They appeared in his Magazine in February 1845, and were thus probably composed during the previous month. In the original collection of Hood's serious poems, published after his death, they were wrongly assigned to the April of this year. Hood died on the third of May.] Farewell, Life! My senses swim, And the world is growing dim; Thronging shadows cloud the light, Like the advent of the night,-- Colder, colder, colder still, Upward steals a vapor chill-- Strong the earthy odor grows-- I smell the mould above the rose! Welcome, Life! the Spirit strives! Strength returns, and hope revives; Cloudy fears and shapes forlorn Fly like shadows at the morn,-- O'er the earth there comes a bloom-- Sunny light for sullen gloom, Warm perfume for vapor cold-- smell the rose above the mould! _February_ 1845. ODE TO MR. GRAHAM,[20] THE AERONAUT. "Up with me!--up with me into the sky!" WORDSWORTH--_on a Lark_. [Footnote 20: In Hood's day Mr. Graham was one of a group of distinguished aeronauts which included Monck Mason, Hollond, Green, and others. Mr. Graham had made a memorable ascent in his Balloon in 1823.] I. Dear Graham, whilst the busy crowd, The vain, the wealthy, and the proud, Their meaner flights pursue, Let us cast off the foolish ties That bind us to the earth, and rise And take a bird's-eye view!-- II. A few more whiffs of my segar And then, in Fancy's airy car, Have with thee for the skies:-- How oft this fragrant smoke upcurl'd Hath borne me from this little world, And all that in it lies!-- III.