The Sword of Song

THE SWORD OF SONG 6 We’ll have the ham to logic’s sandwich Of indignation: last bread bland, which After our scorn of God’s lust, terror, hate, Prometheus-fired, we’ll butter, perorate With oiled indifference, laughter’s silver: “Omne hoc verbum valet nil, vir” ! Let me help Babu Chander Grish up ! As by a posset of Hunyadi38 Clear mind! Was Soudan of the Mahdi Not cleared by Kitchener ? Ah, Tchhup ! Such nonsense for sound truth you dish up, Were I magician, no mere cadi, Not Samuel’s ghost you’d make me wish up, Nor Saul’s (the mighty son of Kish) up, But Ingersoll’s or Bradlaugh’s, pardie ! By spells and caldron stews that squish up, Or purifying of the Nadi39 Till Stradivarius or Amati Shriek in my stomach ! Sarasate, Such strains ! Such music as once Sadi Made Persia ring with ! I who fish up No such from soul may yet cry: Vade Retro, Satanas ! Tom Bond Bishop !40 You old screw, Pegasus ! Gee (Swish !) up ! (To any who correctly rhymes41 With Bishop more than seven times I hereby offer as emolum- Ent, a bound copy of this volume.) These strictures must include the liar Copleston,42 Reverend F. B. Meyer, (The cock of the Dissenter’s midden, he !) And others of the self-same kidney:— How different from Sir Philip Sidney ! But “cave os, et claude id, ne Vituperasse inventus sim.” In English let me render him! ’Ware mug, and snap potato-trap! Or elsely it may haply hap Aim of poet. Indignation of poet. Poet defies his uncle. Whip and spur. Sporting offer. The Times Com- petition outdone. Sub-species of genus Christian included in poet’s strictures. 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180