Joaquin Miller's Poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

Joaquin Miller's Poems

[in six volumes]

Miller, Joaquin (1837-1913)

Volume One

[dedication]

AN INTRODUCTION

LATER LINES PREFERRED BY LONDON

COLUMBUS

THE MISSOURI

THE PASSING OF TENNYSON

THE AMERICAN OCEAN

THE BIRDS AND BEES

CALIFORNIA'S CUP OF GOLD

THE FORTUNATE ISLES

DON'T STOP AT THE STATION DESPAIR

TO ANDREW CARNEGIE

LESSONS FOR MY LOVERS

LINES THAT PAPA LIKED

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TO ANDREW CARNEGIE

Hail, fat king Ned!
Hail, fighting Ted,
Grand William,
Grim Oom Paul!
But I'd rather twist
Carnegie's wrist,
That open hand in this,
Than shake hands with ye all.

160

I dislike personal and occasional lines so entirely that I think you can search these six volumes through in vain for another poem of this character. But there is only this one Carnegie; the best-hearted and the best-headed American citizen that ever wrote a book. Not long ago, when he was about to sail away, the Authors' Club of New York gave him a dinner, my publisher asked me for some lines. I did not know Mr. Carnegie then, personally, but as I admired him and his work as heartily as I despised his petty detractors, I sent the above brief summing up of Kings, with Carnegie at the head.