A GENTLEMAN I chance to know An interesting thing of Is victim of my verse, and so That thing I seek to sing of. (You surely will not censure me For putting into poetree An incident About the gent- Leman I seek to sing of.) He was a gentleman in trade— The firm was Smith & Brother. They traffick-ed in lace and braid, Or some such thing or other. I am not certain if they sold Cigars, or apple cake, or gold. Pray let it stand At laces, and Some such affair or other. "Observe a thousand girls make lace!" Cried Smith, in exultation. I saw them working in a place Devoid of ventilation. They seemed aweary, wan, and ill, As merely human beings will Appear who work In sunless murk Devoid of ventilation. I saw Smith yesterday, again, Acerb, irate, indignant. "I hate," he said, "those Prussian men, With utter hate malignant. To think of using poisonous gas To kill an enemy! Alas! I cannot see How such men be!" And, my! he was malignant! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HIS REQUEST TO JULIA by ROBERT HERRICK THE DAISY; WRITTEN AT EDINBURGH by ALFRED TENNYSON INTIMATE VISION by JOSEPHINE BATES DEATH OF CHILDHOOD BELIEFS by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN A COLLOQUY WITH GOD by THOMAS BROWNE ASOLANDO: A PEARL, A GIRL by ROBERT BROWNING ON THE CAUSE, CONSQUENCE AND CURE OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE by JOHN BYROM |