A sunny Sunday morning in May,

Aimlessly to woods did I stray.

Companions none, but longing to see

One in like plight, I chanced upon three;

The Masons two, wife and man, and one,

A lad in his teens, made up

A quartet with me to fill joy’s cup.

With lusty minnows in pail to its fill,

We took up rods and pail, reels and line,

And, in our barque sailed forth to find

Some less wary of the finny kind.

In vain did we tempt the fickle fish;

But at noon instead, with a dainty dish,

Of eggs partly spilled and ham and things

Fit for appetites toil and pleasure brings,

We dined and ate to the brim.