Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-10
Hing Sham and other Poems.

Hing Sham and other Poems.
Funny poetry, unless it is written by on,
whose wit and humor approaches genius, is
usually dull stuff. Much of it answers Will
enough for the columns of newspaper, n
which it is generally read with the mitigate Y
fact continually pleading for it, that it isa
hasty and ephemeral production, intendd
only for the amusement of the hurryinG real
err But when it seeks a place in the pc
manent liteature Of the country, and asks tt-
room on the shelves four libraries it submis
itself to a severer judgment. We have befoB
us volume of this kind of poetry, recentt
published by Hurd and Houghton of New
York, entitled = King Sham, and other Afro
cities in Verse including a Humorous
Description of the Pixies cak Excitment.
1t is the production Of Lawrence y. Green
leaf, and the author says, in the preface, thai
many of the pieces in the collection have ap-
peared in the newspapers of the day under
the nom de plume Of g Peter Punstcr." A
hasty examination of the book satisfies Us
that much of it is hardly worthy the pre-
seryation it is likely to get from the attractive
manner in which the publishers have per
formed their part of the work We copy
below several specimens Of the author facili-
ty as wit and punster
WoNDRFUL
On Franklin Square young Tommy you'll
descry,
A hawking papers to the passers by.
I've read OF Progress, things most strange
and rare,
But no'er Of Tommy hawking on the
square
ID GNArIcAL DoGGEREL.
The Mayor proclaims that ours must die
The act is justly praised,
For when the ma : Of dogs are slain.
New dog g-mas must be raised
THE REMEDY
When dogs set up an awful howl,
Cane nine Of CANNES vicious,
No sorry eur with cur-sorv looks.
OF peace viii dare to dish us
A STRANGE ErIrAru.
\ strange epitaph. in this y,u1l agree,
- Here lies ID. {. Fellow, feto De 81.
A pleasant PREDICAvE>T
Didst ever fall upon the crowded pave
Flat on thy back, and not desire to rave
Midst peals Of laughter, curse the orange
peel
And while folks grin, O how chagrined you
feel
THE GREATER THE CRIME THE LESSER rHE oFENsE-
An EPIGRAM.
The man who steals doHar, folks assau.
And cry. - A thief Consi-n the wretch to
Jail
But if milion-in such light It's viewed,
mans not censure1, but considered
shrewd
EDGFICArIoN.
The mother views her darling boy with pride
When Eddy says. @ fic, she's edi-fed
EXTREME TENSION.
When ten avoid a danger. ten shun i'll
A muscle stretched, is called tension, Bill
When minds are fixed, it is atten ton still
ONE POINT IN COMMON
Though distinctions 'twixt topers and Hin
docs are wide.
On the jng or not question they're surely
allied
PERTINENT
Annie writes versions of such poems as
Homers,
Our ani-mad-versions are not misnomers
g Serious and occasional pieces " occupy
the concluding part Of this volume, of which
the following is favorable specimen.
SHADES AND CLEANS.
When the weary are fainting meath burdens
of life,
And their faces are wrinkled with care
When the bravest are falling in conflict and
strife,
And the dying are murmuring prayer
When misfortune has crushed all the hopes of
the young,
And the aged are cursing their days
When the wall of despair through the hovel
has rung,
And the king in his palace Death Stays;
When disease like vulture has fastened its
fangs,
And the victim is writhing in pain
From the belfry of Fate now an iron tongue
twangs,
And we're signing 8 All things are in
vain"
Not in vain not in vain are our tolls and
restraints,
Not in vain all our struggles for right
Though dark shadings appear on the picture
life paints,
Yet theshades on the blessings throw light.
There are bright silver Innings to clouds as
they rise,
Though they shadow the heart with their
wings;
And how soothing when Anguish is uttering
her cries,
The soft music which Hope sweetly sings.
Though the mysteries of life are concealed
from our gaze,
And of truth we ever in quest,
We shall know-when immortals proclaiming
His praise,