The Glugs of Gosh | Page 7

weather was cold,?While the brazen bell of the city tolled
And tolled, and told?The fate of a Glug who was over-bold.
And every cloud that sails the blue,?And every dancing sunbeam too,
And every sparkling dewdrop bright?All know the Glugs quite well by sight.?"We tell," say they, "by a simple test;?For any old Glug is like the rest.
And they climb the trees when there's weather about,?In a general way, as a cure for gout;
Tho' some folks doubt?If the climbing habit is good for gout."
So Joi was hanged, and his race was run,?And the Glugs were tickled with what they'd done.
And, after that, if a day should come?When a Glug felt extra specially glum,?He'd call his children around his knee,?And tell that tale with a chuckle of glee.
And should a little Glug girl or boy?See naught of a joke in the fate of Joi,
Then he'd employ?Stern measures with such little girl or boy.
But every dawn that paints the sky,?And every splendid noontide high,
All know the Glugs so well, so well.?'Tis an easy matter, and plain to tell.?For, lacking wit, with a candour smug,?A Glug will boast that he is a Glug.
And they climb the trees, if it shines or rains,?To settle the squirming in their brains,
And the darting pains?That are caused by rushing and catching trains.
VII. THE SWANKS OF GOSH
Come mourn with me for the land of Gosh,
Oh, weep with me for the luckless Glugs?Of the land of Gosh, where the sad seas wash?The patient shores, and the great King Splosh
His sodden sorrow hugs;?Where the fair Queen Tush weeps all the day,
And the Swank, the Swank, the naughty Swank,
The haughty Swank holds sway--?The most mendacious, ostentatious,
Spacious Swank holds sway.
'Tis sorrow-swathed, as I know full well,
And garbed in gloom and the weeds of woe,?And vague, so far, is the tale I tell;?But bear with me for the briefest spell,
And surely shall ye know?Of the land of Gosh, and Tush, and Splosh,
And Stodge, the Swank, the foolish Swank,
The mulish Swank of GoshThe?meretricious, avaricious,
Vicious Swank of Gosh.
Oh, the tall trees bend, and green trees send
A chuckle round the earth,?And the soft winds croon a jeering tune,
And the harsh winds shriek with mirth,?And the wee small birds chirp ribald words
When the Swank walks down the street;?But every Glug takes off his hat,?And whispers humbly, "Look at that!
Hats off! Hats off to the Glug of rank!?Sir Stodge, the Swank, the Lord High Swank!"?Then the East wind roars a loud guffaw,?And the haughty Swank says, "Haw!"
His brain is dull, and his mind is dense,
And his lack of saving wit complete;?But most amazingly immense?Is his inane self-confidence
And his innate conceit.?But every Glug, and great King Splosh
Bowed to Sir Stodge, the fuddled Swank,
The muddled Swank of Gosh--?The engineering, peeping, peering,
Sneering Swank of Gosh.
In Gosh, sad Gosh, where the Lord Swank lives,
He holds high rank, and he has much pelf;?And all the well-paid posts he gives?Unto his fawning relatives,
As foolish as himself.?In offices and courts and boards
Are Swanks, and Swanks, ten dozen Swanks,
And cousin Swanks in hordes--?Inept and musty, dry and dusty,
Rusty Swanks in hordes.
The clouds so soft, that sail aloft,
Weep laughing tears of rain;?The blue sky spread high overhead
Peeps thro' in mild disdain.?All nature laughs and jeers and chaffs
When the Swank goes out to walk;?But every Glug bows low his head,?And says in tones surcharged with dread,
"Bow low, bow low, Glugs lean, Glugs fat!"?But the North wind snatches off his hat,?And flings it high, and shrieks to see
His ruffled dignity.
They lurk in every Gov'ment lair,
'Mid docket dull and dusty file,?Solemnly squat in an easy chair,?Penning a minute of rare hot air
In departmental style.?In every office, on every floor
Are Swanks, and Swanks, distracting Swanks,
And Acting-Swanks a score,?And coldly distant, sub-assistant
Under-Swanks galore.
In peaceful days when the countryside
Poured wealth to Gosh, and the skies were blue,?The great King Splosh no fault espied,?And seemed entirely satisfied
With Swanks who muddled thro'.?But when they fell on seasons bad,
Oh, then the Swanks, the bustled Swanks,
The hustled Swanks went mad--?The minute-writing, nation-blighting,
Skiting Swanks went mad.
The tall trees sway like boys at play,
And mock him when he grieves,?As one by one, in laughing fun,
They pelt him with their leaves.?And the gay green trees joke to the breeze,
As the Swank struts proudly by;?But every Glug, with reverence,?Pays homage to his pride immense--
A homage deep to lofty rank--?The Swank! The Swank! The pompous Swank!?But the wind-borne leaves await their chance
And round him gaily dance.
Now, trouble came to the land of Gosh:
The fear of battle, and anxious days;?And the Swanks were called to the great King Splosh,?Who said that their system would not wash,
And ordered other ways.?Then the Lord High Swank stretched forth a paw,?And penned a minute re the law,
And the Swanks, the Swanks, the other Swanks,
The brother Swanks said, "Haw!"?These keen, resourceful, unremorseful,
Forceful Swanks said, "Haw!"
Then Splosh, the king, in a royal rage,
He smote his throne as he thundered, "Bosh!?In the whole