Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE LETTER by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS

First Line: A LETTER ONCE CAME TO A FOOLISH WISE MAN
Last Line: "I SHALL NOT GET TO THAT POINT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR!"
Subject(s): LETTERS;

A letter once came to a foolish wise man,
Who sagely proceeded the missive to scan.

He weighed it, he measured it, thought to explore
The average slant of the letters it bore.

A bit of the paper he cautiously took
To a microscope lens for a sapient look.

Dissolving the ink, by a chemical feat
He made an analysis finely complete.

Then he turned to the flap, and persistently sought
To find from what country its gum had been brought.

As thus he was busy with exigent task,
His brother drew near him and ventured to ask:

"You've a letter from father! And what does he say?
I'm eager to hear it! What's in it, I pray?"

Said the foolish wise man: "You are hasty, I fear.
I shall not get to that point for more than a year!"



Home: PoetryExplorer.net