VAGRANT VERSE

Southland Times, Issue 18854, 21 June 1920, Page 4

VAGRANT VERS E

A BALLADE OF THE BALLADE. (Written for the Southland Times). Musicians like a tightened wire, A girl can live with smiling face. The dreamer stirs with antique fire, The horse is proud of record pace. The lady joys in rarest lace, The artist glows to dreams sublime. The doctor revels in his case, The ballade writer plays with rhyme. Lovers can thrive on fond desire, Card-players strive to turn an ace. Steeple-jacks love a lofty spire, A king finds nothing like a mace. The swift are eager for a race, The actor gloats o'er scene and mime, The cops are keen some clue to trace, The ballade writer plays with rhyme. For bibliophile an old-world quire, For titled lord the pride of place, For preacher poems on the human lyre. For criminal his own disgrace, For mighty towers a granite base, For poets fame that conquers time, For scientists matter and space, The ballade writer plays with rhyme. L’Envoi. Shaun, for the world its orgies dire, For mountaineers the rocky climb, For dead men rest in vaulted mire, The ballade writer plays with rhyme. —Southerner. Invercargill, June 20.