Poems (Merrill)/The Poetry Machine

Poems
by Clara A. Merrill
The Poetry Machine
4534966Poems — The Poetry MachineClara A. Merrill
THE POETRY MACHINE



Pray, have you ever heard about—
Or have you ever seen
That Pearl of Ingenuity—
A Poetry Machine?
The wonderous thing is fashioned
With most exquisite skill;
Designed precisely to obey
The operator's will.

When touched by "Muse's" magic wand
The thought-waves throb and spout;
Then, by the turning of the crank
It grinds the verses out.—
The sweet, poetic stanzas
Of equal length will be;
Then, clipping off the ragged lines
It makes a poem.—See?

And 'tis an elegant thing to have
When you're "down in luck" you think—
(And the only cost is a trivial sum
Of some of your mental chink.)
When e 'er the world seems going wrong
And you your courage lose;
Get out your "Poetry Machine"
And drive away the "blues."

Just turn the crank—Sad thoughts will flee
As the cog-wheels whirr and buzz,—
There's naught can raise one's spirits up
Like the "Verse Mill" always does!
Let the rippling, rollicking rhymes roll out
With a clamor, a clash, and a clang;
Then punctuate each line with a laugh—
Be one of the "Jolly Gang!"

There will steal a soothing sense supreme
As we linger 'neath the spell,—
As steal sweet strains from Seraphic Song
Far o'er the Ocean's swell
Or like soft breezes whispering
O'er the sun-kissed, mossy bank,—
With sweet, poetic fancies rife
If we but turn the crank!