When I was with a Shakespeare sho… I played the part of Guildenstern… Or Rosenkrantz —at least I know It wasn’t difficult to learn; By Reader, do not at me scoff,

I am a mild man, you’ll agree, But red my rage is, When folks who borrow books from m… Turn down their pages. Or when a chap a book I lend,

He was my one and only love; My world was mirror for his face. We were as close as hand and glove… Until he came with smiling grace To say: 'We must be wise, my dear…

I ran a nail into my hand, The wound was hard to heal; So bitter was the pain to stand I thought how it would feel, To have spikes thrust through hand…

I’ve often wondered why Old chaps who choose to die In evil passes, Before themselves they slay, Invariably they

My Louis loved me oh so well And spiered me for his wife; He would have haled me from the he… That was my bawdy life: The mother of his bairns to be,

They must not wed the Doctor said… For they were far from strong, And children of their marriage bed Might not live overlong. And yet each eve I saw them pass

From out her shabby rain—coat pock… The little Jew girl in the train Produced a dinted silver locket With pasted in it portraits twain. “These are my parents, sir” she sa…

Twin boys I bore, my joy, my care… My hope, my life they were to me; Their father, dashing, debonair, Fell fighting at Gallipoli. His daring gallantry, no doubt,

Say! You’ve struck a heap of trou… Bust in business, lost your wife; No one cares a cent about you, You don’t care a cent for life; Hard luck has of hope bereft you,

Franklin fathered bastards fourtee… (So I read in the New Yorker); If it’s true, in terms of courtin’ Benny must have been a corker. To be prudent I’ve aspired,

I am the Cannon King, behold! I perish on a throne of gold. With forest far and turret high, Renowned and rajah—rich am I. My father was, and his before,

Each day when it’s anighing three Old Dick looks at the clock, Then proudly brings my stick to me To mind me of our walk. And in his doggy rapture he

The red—roofed house of dream desi… Looks three ways on the sea; For fifty years I’ve made it mine… And held it part of me. The pines I planted in my youth