A MAIDEN once, with eyes of blue, And mischief a suggestion, Propounded all her friends unto A geographic question. "Why all degrees of latitude Were longer at th' equator?" Their answers brought beatitude And highly did elate her: For Mr. Smithson talked to her — With knowledge was he sated — "'T was due to a parabola," He wisely demonstrated; And Mr. Whyte, he murmured much Of "radial defections," While Robinson, with dainty touch, Discoursed of conic sections; Then Mr. Browning flowery grew, And filled himself with glory By telling much more than he knew — It was a wondrous story! . . . . . . . . But all sit now disconsolate, And cut a woful figure — They've learned, when it was all too late, Degrees down there @3aren't@1 bigger. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CRANES OF IBYCUS by EMMA LAZARUS THE QUARREL by KATHERINE MANSFIELD ONE AT PLAY IN THE FIELDS OF by KAREN SWENSON MAN IN A ROOM by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS ON A PROPOSED TRIP SOUTH by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS |