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1874–1936

The Bard, at times...

Harry Graham

The Bard, at times Is stumped for rhymes, Without the least excuse. He can defy

Such moments by Abbreviation's use, And gain the grat: Of friend or neighb:

Without an at: Of extra lab: So simp: a rule May seem pecul:

And make the crit: indig: What matter if The scans: is diff: The meaning too ambig:?

The net result, Lacon: and punct: Is worth a mult: Of needless unct:

We long for sile: From folks who pile Their worldly Pel: on Oss: Extremely nox:

And quite intox: By their exhub: verbos: We curse their imp: In manner dras:

And fail to symp: With their loquac: In House of Rep: Applause is tep:

For periphrastic Pol: Reviewers sniff At auth: prolif: With semiannual vol:

But we can pard: However peev: The minor bard Who will abbrev:

With pen and ink In close propinq: The Poet, lucky fell:! Avoiding troub:

May give his pub: The cred: for some intell: And like an orph: In pose recumb:

In arms of Morph: Securely slumb: Let corks explode: With brand: and sod:

Ye wearers of the mot:! Decant the cham: ( What matt: the dam:? ) And empt: the flowing bott:!

And ne'er surren: The Laureate's palm, His haunch of ven: And butt of Malm:!

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The Bard, at times... · Harry Graham · Poetry Cove