Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE INDIGNANT CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY, by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: A gentleman I chance to know Last Line: And, my! He was malignant! Alternate Author Name(s): F. P. A. Subject(s): Cruelty; Militarism; Murder; Soldiers | ||||||||
A GENTLEMAN I chance to know An interesting thing of Is victim of my verse, and so That thing I seek to sing of. (You surely will not censure me For putting into poetree An incident About the gent- Leman I seek to sing of.) He was a gentleman in trade The firm was Smith & Brother. They traffick-ed in lace and braid, Or some such thing or other. I am not certain if they sold Cigars, or apple cake, or gold. Pray let it stand At laces, and Some such affair or other. "Observe a thousand girls make lace!" Cried Smith, in exultation. I saw them working in a place Devoid of ventilation. They seemed aweary, wan, and ill, As merely human beings will Appear who work In sunless murk Devoid of ventilation. I saw Smith yesterday, again, Acerb, irate, indignant. "I hate," he said, "those Prussian men, With utter hate malignant. To think of using poisonous gas To kill an enemy! Alas! I cannot see How such men be!" And, my! he was malignant! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ALL ARMIES ARE THE SAME by ERNEST HEMINGWAY ABSENT WITH OFFICIAL LEAVE by RANDALL JARRELL PORT OF EMBARKATION by RANDALL JARRELL THE CONFESSION OF ST. JIM-RALPH by DENIS JOHNSON OPERATION MEMORY by DAVID LEHMAN LINES FROM A PLUTOCRATIC POETASTER TO A DITCH-DIGGER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS |
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