“THREE “RHYMES OF ‘IRONQUILL’
Eugene F. Ware
CAPERS ET CAPER
From a chimney on the roof
Of the Wilder House hotel,
Did a William goat espy
An old army mule go by;
Spied those vast and sail-like ears —
And he jeered the mule with jeers.
Then the mule he made a tack,
Brought his jib round to the wind,
Main and mizzen ears aback,
And his starboard eye he skinned;
Then he reached that goat a hoof
That dismissed him from the roof.
Soliloquy
Morals two this tale will teach:
First, there isn’t any rule
That will cipher out the reach
Of an ancient army mule;
Second, there are many dangers
In misestimating strangers.
Pass
A father said unto his hopeful son:
‘Who was Leonidas, my cherished, one ?’
The boy replied, with words of ardent nature:
‘He was a member of the Legislature.’
‘How ?’ asked the parent; then the youngster saith:
‘He got a pass, and held her like grim death.’
‘Whose pass ? What pass ?’ the anxious father cried;
‘Twas the’r monopoly,’ the boy replied.
In deference to the public, we must state
That boy has been an orphan since that date.”
Reference Data:
A Treasury of Humorous Poetry, by Frederic Lawrence Knowles, 1902, page 38
Eugene Ware’s style of writing is strongly indicative of a long military background. The mule and the goat being evidence of that. There is a touch of irony, wisdom and humor for that added flavor. Great article Vicki.