The House Of Cards Poem by Dora Sigerson Shorter

O the chatter, chatter, chatter,
Of the things that do not matter.
Little wordy things that clatter,
Restless feet that pitter patter,
All my pretty houses scatter,
All my noble castles scatter.

See I build it tower by tower,
Kingly hall and queenly bower,
Into skies celestial throwing,
Spire and turret upward growing,
Prisoned sunshine for its lighting,
Rainbow beams its roof uniting.
Kings and queens and noble people
Look from turret, peep from steeple,
With a handsome knave or two
All the fairy ways pursue.

But the clatter, clatter, clatter,
Of the things that do not matter,


All the talk of dining, wining,
Discontented people whining,
All my pretty houses scatter
All my noble castles scatter.

See from out yon casement shady,
Leans a fair and lovely lady.
Gems and jewels flashing, gleaming.
'Tis the queen of diamonds dreaming.
She is sad and somewhat lonely,
All she lost in loving only
Riches, games were all her passion,
She is mourning in her fashion.
See, she leans, her casement gracing,
Watching yonder dark king pacing
Up and down the paths beneath her.
Does she dream he 'll kneel, entreat her
Into love with serenading,
At her coldness stay upbraiding?
Ah, she wots not he is sighing,
Only is his fond heart sighing
For dark eyes and nut-brown tresses.
'Tis not she his love-thought blesses.

Oh, the chatter, chatter, chatter,
Of the things that never matter.
Of the tongues that rage or flatter
And the countless feet that clatter
With their noisy pitter patter,
Till my castles all they scatter
All my pretty houses scatter.

See yon splendid pageant forming,
To the gates the draw-bridge storming.
Yonder come in kingly passion
Lords and knights in war-like fashion.
See the black-browed monarch going,
Drums a-rolling, trumpets blowing,
Clash of sword and armour's rattle
He so full of rage and battle
For a mad-cap princess hiding
In some secret nook deriding
All his wild and fierce pursuing,
All his dark and despot wooing.

But they must not in their passion,
Break my song in such a fashion,
Make no discord in my singing,
That dream song that goes a-ringing
Through the chambers of my houses,
See the clash of war arouses,
He the greatest king who, reigning,
Rules in this dear land of feigning,
King of hearts, he leads his lady
Down the pleasant rue path shady,
Down to greet the dark-browed lover,
Help his mad-cap queen discover.
And I hear from roof to rafter
Naught but song and fairy laughter.

Till the chatter, chatter, chatter,
Comes of things that do not matter;
Much ado of wining, dining,
Dismal voices whining, pining.
Restless feet that pitter, patter,
All my pleasant castles scatter.
All my happy houses scatter.