The Exiles

They were a merrie companie,
  Who'd dwelt together all these years;
A little mixed in type, maybe;
  Yet prone to mingle now as peers,
For old acquaintance sake; and so,
  Bewilderment about them swirled
When told, abruptly, they must go,
  From these snug shelves, back to the world.

Bill Sikes wept over Little Nell;
  Pickwick and Cratchit cried, "Too bad!"
Tom Pinch and Fagin said farewell;
  Uriah Heep was humbly sad,
And Nickleby and Copperfield
  Shook hands and said, "Good-bye, old man!"
And even Daniel Quilp appealed
  To gods of fiction 'gainst the ban.

Smike took his leave of Barney Rudge;
  Pecksniff pledged Salry one last cup;
Micawber vowed he would not budge,
  For something surely must turn up.
And something surely did; for news
  Now spreads among the exiled clan
That some old friend, with kindly views,
  Proposes to reverse the ban.

Sam Weller kisses Sally Brass;
  Alf Jingle hugs old Bumble tight;
Scrooge dances with the Vardon lass,
  And all are crazy with delight --
Again a merrie companie
  Or soon to be so, as before.
And Swiveller sighs, and says "Thanks be,
  Safe from my creditors once more!"