The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-20
Poem Makingt to Order.
lChicago Tribune,1

Yesterday afternoon the door of the editorial
room swung slowly open, and bushy head an.
peared, followed in short time by the rest of
man whose general outline indicated that he
was from the frontier.
SIS the Tycoon IMP" he asked.
The who?" inquired the only editor in the
room who was not busy just then
The Tycoon, the Shah, the main guy-the
boss. you know"
"Oh, you mean the editor. No, he is not
around at present. Is there anything we can
do for your" -
Il reckon there might be, Colonel Some
time ago your paper printed something about
new racket in the shape of practical tourna-
ment, n offered prizes IN things for the best
verses Am singin' on the right key, boss?'
Il believe there was something of that kind
published" replied the person addressed, "but
it was only in fun"
m sorry to hear that, pard," continued
the visitor, "for ever since leayin' Deadwood
I've been thinkin' how soft things was comm
Tor me, to have prizes like them offered. N
kickin' because there was one class, for chill
dren, in which was bound to be barred I'm
powerful sorry it was only in fun'
Are you poet?" inquired another member
of the staff
II am that, boss. Probably don't look it
bnt when it comes to exercisin' the Muse 1
take what cake there is on the dump, and any
stray biscuits that the shaft contains. I'm
two-teamer when you talk poetry, and don t let
1T escape your memory
Whom do you consider our best poet?"
asked another man.
They are all on the same level From
Shakespeare to Milton, from Dryden to Burns,
from Wordsworth to Longfellow there amt no
difference. Gimme the tools N I kin Chop out
anything from a sonnet by Shakespeare to an
obituary by G. W. Childs and never turn
hair. Why, boss, to duplicate most poetry
amt exercise for me; it's just as easy as whit
tim toothpick out of a match. All you've
got TO do is to read the works of poet and see
how he is gated. Then you go right ahead and
do the same thing. Git back to Shakespeare's
time, frinstance. Most all the boys in them
days wrote their poems in the same kind of
time that pony makes when gallopin' over a
hard road-kind of short'n quick, with about
eight jumps to the mile. Take Sir Walter Ra-
leigh. s'pose you remember Walt-slung
ms yaller oyercoat down in the mud fur Queen
Llzoeth to step on, you know"
ton of the gentleman.
Now take this pome The Nymph's Reply
a see IL 1t don't sound just like a broncho go
ing down street, when you read it little fast:
II all the world and love were young.
And truth in every shepherds tongue,
Ihese pretty pleasures might me move
10 nVe Win thee, and be thy love-"
1t does seem easy, doesn't it?" observed one
editor to another.
Easy, boss? Why, it's Jest cakes and maple
syrup to a man that drops on the game. Tnt
barrin' Byron n two or three more, the most
OF EN- couidD't even write things that would
read smooth. can show you whole reams IN
stacks Of PONIES with a metre that sounds like
lame camel trying to run away. Six dollars
dozen would be high price for most of them
ducks. They're like them macaroni-eating
painters they call ole Masters Why, eighty
per centum of those fellows wouldn't be al
these times.' r'-' 0of
editor. '''0i'eu "n
Never mind what L am, sonny" REPLIED
Deadwood, as he gently toyed with a forty-two
callpre revolver that hung at his belt II dis
like to kill a man on his own ranch. Init T
mustn't be sassed."
The editor explained the meaning of the
word, and the Modified Westerner proceeded.
Some folks probably think that there is poets
that have style of their own, but know bet
ter WV
Are you acquainted with the works of Gold
smith, asked one of the audience.
nat, Ollie Goldsmith? 1 reckon ! am.
as he did" 0'' ''"'i
Don't You think his Deserted Village is
fair production" "
Nav! Why, the lines lust eurele along
like water out of a Jug. 1t makes ma tiraJ 20
think that people will pay for that kind of
Cruel" Aiiu VI