 | The Five Notions |  |
61
MINOR
I went into a publisher's as woeful as a hearse,
The publisher he ups and says, “Why will you chaps write verse?”
The girl behind the Remington she tittered fit to die,
I outs into the street again and to myself says I:
The publisher he ups and says, “Why will you chaps write verse?”
The girl behind the Remington she tittered fit to die,
I outs into the street again and to myself says I:
O it's verses this, and verses that, and writing 'em is wrong;
But it's “special type and vellum” when you hit on something strong,
You hit on something strong, my boys, you hit on something strong,
O it's “signed large paper copies” when you hit on something strong.
But it's “special type and vellum” when you hit on something strong,
You hit on something strong, my boys, you hit on something strong,
O it's “signed large paper copies” when you hit on something strong.
62
I calls upon an editor—a very nice young man—
Says he, “Send in your stanzas and we'll use 'em if we can”:
Of course I sends 'em to him in the usual bloomin' way,
Of course he keeps and keeps 'em, and he's got 'em to this day!
Says he, “Send in your stanzas and we'll use 'em if we can”:
Of course I sends 'em to him in the usual bloomin' way,
Of course he keeps and keeps 'em, and he's got 'em to this day!
And it's verses this, and verses that, and verses for to burn;
But they set 'em up in pica when the tide begins to turn,
The tide begins to turn, my boys, the tide begins to turn,
O it's “Two-twelve-six a sonnet” when the tide begins to turn.
But they set 'em up in pica when the tide begins to turn,
The tide begins to turn, my boys, the tide begins to turn,
O it's “Two-twelve-six a sonnet” when the tide begins to turn.
I prints a little book and puts it round like, for review,
Which—when you come to think of it—is the proper thing to do:
“We have upon our table Mr. Blanky's Leaves that Fall,”
And “Another little ship of song! Wants ballast,” —that was all.
Which—when you come to think of it—is the proper thing to do:
63
And “Another little ship of song! Wants ballast,” —that was all.
And it's verses this, and verses that, and a par to say you've sinned;
But it's fine fat full-page notice when you hit 'em in the wind,
You hit 'em in the wind, my boys, you hit 'em in the wind,
You're a 'owlin', 'eavenly Milton, when you hit 'em in the wind. . . . .
But it's fine fat full-page notice when you hit 'em in the wind,
You hit 'em in the wind, my boys, you hit 'em in the wind,
You're a 'owlin', 'eavenly Milton, when you hit 'em in the wind. . . . .
We aint no 'eavenly Miltons, nor we aint no idiots too,
But plodding men with fam'lies, and a pile to make, like you;
And all the time you see us down-at-heel and looking weak
We're a-casting of our bread upon the waters, so to speak:
But plodding men with fam'lies, and a pile to make, like you;
And all the time you see us down-at-heel and looking weak
We're a-casting of our bread upon the waters, so to speak:
64
For it's verses this, and verses that, and things run pretty rough,
But there's Albert Gate in verses if you only write the stuff,
If you only write the stuff, my boys, if you only write the stuff,
O it's yachts and rows of houses if you only write the stuff.
But there's Albert Gate in verses if you only write the stuff,
If you only write the stuff, my boys, if you only write the stuff,
O it's yachts and rows of houses if you only write the stuff.
| The Five Notions | |