Classic Poem

C HIARINI and his elephant have been here a week or more,
Giving us an object-lesson every evening o'er and o'er;
And he's left us now as ignorant as when he first began
To illustrate to the public the most frequent fate of man.

What a stupid crowd we must have been to watch him every night,
Grinning grimly at the tragedy enacted in our sight!
Grinning grimly as the mighty beast obeyed his beck and nod—
Scowling darkly as he used his goad or shining silver prod!
I say, what fools we must have been when, the poor brute's labor done,
We smiled to see its pleasure o'er the insufficient bun,
To have never gazed upon the glass Chiarini held on high,
And beheld the truth reflected—and turned away to cry!
For there's many men and women we can quickly call to mind
Who have left both home and country, left even hope behind,

Who are acting out life's ghastly farce before us every day,
Who are shambling thro' their petty parts as best they can or may,
Who forget the goad of avarice in the pat upon the head,
And forgive the prod of silver for the needful loaf of bread!

All hail, then, Chiarini! Teach your lesson all about!
You may, sometime, meet people who have sense to find it out!