Page:The Glugs of Gosh (C. J. Dennis, 1917).djvu/76

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!