The Mercenary View
Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis 1876 (Auburn) – 1938 (Melbourne)
I knew a poor remittance man,
A decent chap, but funny,
In days when my ideas began
To be controlled by money
He wore a swank, patrician air;
But, oh, his life was filled with care,
For he had seldom cash to spare;
His mien was far from sunny.
I fear I was a snobbish youth
Who led a prig's existence.
I snubbed the chap, to tell the truth,
And kept him at a distance.
His clothes, well cut, were often worn
Threadbare. Tho' he was gently born
His friendship I refused with scorn
Despite his soft insistence.
But now the whirligig of time
Sees fit to elevate him.
While, lo, the money that was mine
Is shrinking, seriatim;
And faced by serious mishap.
While he reclines in Fortune's lap.
I'd like to find the dear old chap
I'd want to cultivate him.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 17, 2023
- 44 sec read
- 56 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABABCCCB DEDEFFFE GHXGIIIH |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 735 |
Words | 145 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
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"The Mercenary View" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 8 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/6725/the-mercenary-view>.
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