Classic and Contemporary Poetry
J.K.; SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, by BERTON BRALEY Poet's Biography First Line: How shall I fitly delineate jimmy Last Line: Of mirth! Subject(s): Soldiers | ||||||||
How shall I fitly delineate Jimmy, Jimmy the fanciful, fickle and funny, Bold as a lion and girlishly whimmy, Faithful with friendshipand faithless with money? Fighter and liar of boundless capacity; Living a life stranger far than his lies, Foolwith a quaint and uncanny sagacity, Quips on his lips and unrest in his eyes! Jimmy the gambler World-rambler And scout 15ms Questing, where strife is, What Life is About! Money to Jimmy is only for squandering, Any you lend you will never get back. Over the face of the map he goes wandering, Joining lost causes in fruitless attack. True to all womenand sticking to none of them, Blithely returning each come-hither glance; Nevertheless he is faithful to one of them Leal Cavalier to our Lady Romance! Jimmy, unstable Yet able To thrill Judy O'Gradys Or ladies At will! Payment for raiment or other necessities He lets his creditors wait for in vain, Yet when a comrade encounters distress it is Jimmy who eases the fret and the strain. Sheriffs and bailiffs come trailing him legally Armed with attachments to force him to pay. Jimmy bemuses and buncoes them regally, Borrows their moneyand goes on his way! Jimmy, whose prattle Would rattle A Jew; Runs up some new bills When due bills Come due! Wholly at home with the folk intellectual, Equally facile with brows that are low, Razzing the wits with a wit more effectual, Life of the party with Sadie and Joe, Outlying liars with vim and variety, Capping true stories with truer tales still; Though you must pay for his sparkling society Only a niggard would kick at the bill! Jimmy, the rover All over The earth, Waster and spender But blender Of Mirth! | 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 |
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