He polished snubs till they were regnant art, Curling their shameless toilets round the hour. Each lay upon his lips an exquisite flower Subtly malign and poisoned for its part. The path of victims was no wanton plan -- He had bowed his head in sorrow at his birth, For he had said long ere he came to earth That it was no place for a gentleman. But always a heart-scald lurked behind the screen, And somehow he missed the ultimate degrees. He saw a beggar at the daylight's fall And then he rose and robbed him for the scene; And when they called him cad he found release -- He felt he had used the finest snub of all. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GERONTION by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT SHADOWS by WILLIAM HERVEY ALLEN JR. A LULLABY by LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA URANIA; THE WOMAN IN THE MOON: DEDICATION TO LADY PENELOPE DYNHAM by WILLIAM BASSE THE RING AND THE BOOK: BOOK 11. GUIDO by ROBERT BROWNING EPILOGUE by GEORGE GORDON BYRON INDIAN NIGHT by HENRY T. CHAMBERS |