AliceinWonderland

All in the golden af​ter​noon Full leis​urely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little arms are plied, While little hands make vain pre​tence Our wan​der​ings to guide. Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour, Be​neath such dreamy weath​er, To beg a tale of breath too weak To stir the ti​ni​est feath​er! Yet what can one poor voice avail Against three tongues to​geth​er? Im​per​i​ous Prima flashes forth Her edict “to be​gin it”— In gentler tone Secunda hopes “There will be non​sense in it!”— While Ter​tia in​ter​rupts the tale Not more than once a minute. Anon, to sud​den si​lence won, In fancy they pur​sue The dream-child mov​ing through a land Of won​ders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird or beast— And half be​lieve it true. While little hands make vain pre​tence The dream-child mov​ing through a land In friendly chat with bird or beast— And ever, as the story drained The wells of fancy dry. And faintly strove that weary one To put the sub​ject by, “The rest next time—” “It is next time!” The happy voices cry. Thus grew the tale of Won​der​land: Thus slowly, one by one, Its quaint ev......