THE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY
No Malory of old romance,
No Crusoe tale, it seems to me,
This telephone directory.
No legend of proud knights and dames,
As this great book of numbered names!
Rare damsels pining for a squire,
To ring, and call them to the wire.
The news they will rejoice to know
Or Marathon 1450!
And answer with reluctant tread:
Means life or death or daily bread.
All naked to our distant speech—
And have some welcome news for each!