Now James H. Brown in Gotham Town Did live and work and play. Away from there he'd seldom fare And almost never stray. Most commonplace in form and face Our hero was, I wot, Till, on a time, he dreamed he was A Knight in Camelot. He had a helmet on his head And armor round his form Of iron wrought—the which, he thought Uncomfortably warm. "What's this," he cried, "that I'm inside, And what's this mast I hold?" (It was a lance; his ignorance Is fearful to behold.) His lackey spoke: "Sire, gentlefolk On these things place reliance For jousts with knights and sundry fights With ogres, dragons, giants!" Then with a frown spake James H. Brown, "All right, kid, lead me to it, This knightly stuff sounds kind of rough But maybe I can do it!" So James H. Brown began to tilt And in a manner breezy He dodged each blow, then tripped his foe And chuckled, "This is easy!" The dragons too, he blithely slew And giants, fierce and dread ones, While ogres grim were pie for him; He strewed the land with dead ones. When Merlin pulled his magic tricks Our hero sneered, "A greeny Could get that guy with half an eye You otta see Houdini!" Said Launcelot, "Brave warrior, what Has been your early training That you are now so great a wow? I vow it takes explaining!" Said James H. Brown, "In Gotham Town I joust each day, I bet you, With busses, autos, ten-ton trucks; If you ain't quick—they get you! "Your Giants—poor! They're amatoor, They do things in a dub way; Say, listen Pard, I'VE bucked a Guard At rush hour in the Subway! "Your dragons and your ogres—say, They're meek and limp and waxy; I'VE bluffed the door-man at the Ritz, The Chauffeur of a Taxi; "I'VE made box-office clerks be good, I'VE bawled out swell Head-Waiters, I'VE made the Janitor send steam Through ice-cold radiators! "I'm going back to New York Town Where life has more attraction, This Camelot is not so hot, @3I@1 want a little action!" And James H. Brown of Gotham Town When these here words were spoken Found he was not in Camelot But that he had awoken! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CHRISTMAS by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR A FORSAKEN GARDEN by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE WINE AND CITRON by ABU ABD ALLAH ADMIRAL, HAIL! by ANNA EMILIA BAGSTAD PSALM 119 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE PSALM 47 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE HOW GREY THE WORLD WAS by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT |