Child-like, watching his canaries,

And looking at the court-house window

Of the county judge’s room,

And his admonitions to me to seek

My own in life, and punish Spoon River

To avenge the wrong the people did him,

Filled me with furious energy

To seek for wealth and seek for power.

But what did he do but send me along

The path that leads to the grove of the Furies?