On Box Hills green and wooded-land,
A picnic forms the day,
Where friends now gather upon repast,
All out from Highbury way.
Now ‘Balls’ and ‘Music’ are the grounds,
For making a ‘Match’ her joy,
But Miss Emma Woodhouse being Clever and Rich,
Where here must her Talents employ?
For all to soon, Silence and Gloom,
Inflict every Soul seated by,
The Elton’s do frown, Poor Harriet’s cast down,
For the Congenial Well is dry.
‘I ask of you all some entertainment’, Said Frank Churchill who’s voice breaks the Lull.
‘Tell us one or two things very clever, or One thing being exceedingly Dull’.
‘All Dull things at once I will utter’, Said Dear Miss Bates with a sigh,
‘Three only I’m afraid is your limit’, Came Emma’s quick caustic reply.
Now Miss Bates being poor and a Maiden,
For her Roses blush through Herrick’s Rhyme,
Was shocked and dismayed by the comment,
From a friend who was both generous and kind.
‘Emma; How could you be so unfeeling’
George Knightley later begun,
‘To be cruel to a friend of long standing, I say it was so badly done’.
Later distraught and despondent, and left with her feelings to own,
Miss Woodhouse wrapped in a cloud of Contrition,
Did Weep through the long journey Home.
-
Author:
Kevin Hulme (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: January 22nd, 2025 20:24
- Comment from author about the poem: This is about a Pivotal Moment In my favourite Austen Novel ‘Emma’ when she Insults Miss Bates at the Picnic at Box Hill. FYI. Highbury is the Village were they live. In other words they’re not all Arsenal football fans. 😏
- Category: Short story
- Views: 12
Offline)
Comments2
A enjoyable and entertaining read, Thank you
Saw your Comment a bit late here , So Apologies for not getting back sooner.
Thanks for reading.
You are very welcome
Oh the tension, wit, and underlying emotions of the characters involved. The structured rhyming pattern and rhythmic flow evoke the charm of the Regency era, while providing a fresh perspective on the social dynamics at play. Well done! 🙏🏻👍🏻🕊
As I said , Sorry for the late response.
Thought people who weren’t familiar with the Story might not enjoy the Poem. Thanks as always.
Oh that’s alright, literary time jelly has so much flex…🙏🏻👍🏻🕊
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