Said A.: “These little songs display

No lyric gift, but still a ray,

A promise. They will do no harm.”

’Twas kindly, if not very warm.

Said B.: “The author may, in time,

Acquire the rudiments of rhyme;

His efforts now are scarcely verse.”

This, certainly, could not be worse.

Sorely discomfited, our bard

Worked for another ten years—hard.