Classic Poem

IN THE ODDITIES .

I'm jolly Dick the lamplighter,
They say the sun's my dad,
And truly I believe it, sir,
For I'm a pretty lad.

Father and I the world delight,
And make it look so gay,
The difference is I lights by night,
And father lights by day.

II

But father's not the likes of I
For knowing life and fun,
For I queer tricks and fancies spy
Folks never shew the sun:

Rogues, owls, and bats can't bear the light,
I've heard your wife ones say,
And so d'ye mind I sees at night
Things never seen by day.

III

At night men lay aside all art,
As quite a useless task,
And many a face and many a heart
Will then pull off the mask:

Each formal prude and holy wight
Will throw disguise away,
And sin it openly all night
Who sainted it all day.

IV

His darling hoard the miser views,
Misses from friends decamp,
And many a statesman mischief brewe
To his country o'er his lamp:

So father and I, d'ye take me right,
Are just on the same lay,
I bare-fac'd sinners light by night,
And he false saints by day.