When Dr. Charles O’Donnell died

Far on the desert’s remote extremeA mountain of gold with a mellow gleamReared its high pinnacles into the sky,The work of _mirage_ to delude the eye.Pixley Pasha, at the Prophet’s feetPiously licking them, swearing them sweet,Ventured, observing his master’s glance,To beg that he order the mountain’s advance.Mahomet Stanford exerted his will,Commanding: ‘In Allah’s name, hither,…

He saw how the grass of the good was shortAnd the wicked lived in clover.And he gravely said: ‘This is all, all wrong,And never by me intended.If to me the power should ever belongI shall have this thing amended.’He looked so solemn and good and wiseAs he made this observationThat the men who heard him…

You make me first throw up my hat,And then my hands.

As reeling drunkards judge the world unsteadyAnd idlers swear employers ne’er get readyThieves that the constable stole all they had,The mad that all except themselves are mad;So, in another’s clear escutcheon shown,Barnes rails at stains reflected from his own;Prates of ‘docility,’ nor feels the darkRing round his neck-the Ralston collar mark.Back, man, to studies interrupted…

Merry or sad, what does it signify?To you ‘t is equal if I laugh, or die.Your hollow greeting, like a parrot’s jest,Finds all its meaning in the ear addressed.Why ‘merry’ Christmas? Faith, I’d rather frownThan grin and caper like a tickled clown.When fools are merry the judicious weep;The wise are happy only when asleep.A present?…

A queue of people, parti-sexed,Awaiting the command of ‘Next!’A sidewalk booth, a dingy sign:‘Teeth dusted nice-five cents a shine.’