At a lecture on "Hospital Units at Work"
A woman (who looked fifty-three)
Ere the talk had begun started crying.... Her son
Has gone, she confided to me.
"But you should be brave and 'buck up'," I remarked.
"And yours?" she asked.... How did she divine
That I am not married?... Oh, well, after this
I'll mind no one's business—b-but mine!
OVERDOING IT
This horrid old war is right in our house
Making itself at home, goodness sakes!
The scraps from our table won't feed a mouse
We've cut out desserts, salads, and cakes.
Monday is meatless and Tuesday is dry,
Wednesday is sugarless, too, gee whiz!
Our plates must be cleaned, they tell us. That's why
We eat the garbage before it is!
So I bought a melon the other day
When ma was 'tending a Red Cross tea.
I wanted it awful bad.... Anyway
It wasn't so big—just right for me—
And then, just to keep from wasting a drop,
I ate it all up!... Our colored Liz
Says Pa told the doctor, "My fault, old top—
"'We eat the garbage before it is.'"
The doctor was writing a 'scription note
When I come to, turned over and grinned,
And he frowned at Pa, as he wrote and wrote,
Till Pa grew red like his cheeks was skinned.
"Eating the garbage? Now, listen, man,
If that's your game it's good for my biz.
But if I was you, I surely would 'can'
"'We eat the garbage before it is!'"
THE GIVERS
"I've given a lot of my time and work
To helping my country," says he;
"No one can tell you that I am a shirk
In the great cause of Liberty!"
(Perhaps you have met him?
Well, then, forget him!)
John Lampas was a Greek,
John Lampas isn't now;
He's just a plain American
And eating soldier chow.
He joined the army recently,
But first—he gave away
His touring car, his watch, his cash
To the Red Cross one day,
And then enlisted. "That's all I can do,"
He said; "and I'm glad to give it, for true!"
He doesn't ask for praise,
For jollies, or for guff;
He gave because this land gave him
A chance—which was enough!
He hasn't got a dollar;
He's just a khakied man,
But, somehow, he seems mighty like
A true American!
His cash and his watch and his auto he gave,
And then himself. Was that foolish, or brave?
So when I hear that other chap
Congratulate himself because
He gave "some time"—I'd like to rap
Him once across his selfish paws!
(Because I have met him—
I want to forget him!)