| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1321. The Mountebanks |
| | | By Charles Henry Luders |
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| OVER our heads the branches made | |
| A canopy of woven shade. | |
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| The birds about this beechen tent | |
| Like deft attendants came and went. | |
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| A shy wood-robin, fluting low, | 5 |
| Furnished the music for the show. | |
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| The cricket and the grasshopper | |
| A portion of the audience were. | |
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| Thither did Fancy leap to fling | |
| Light summersaults around the ring. | 10 |
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| Wit, the sly jester of the Town, | |
| And rustic Humor played the clown; | |
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| Reason was ringmaster, and waved | |
| His whip when these his anger braved; | |
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| Wishes were horses that each rode | 15 |
| Unto his heart’s desire’s abode. | |
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| There Laughter and Delight and Glee | |
| Performed their parts that all might see, | |
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| Till a sweet wind across the clover | |
| Whispered, “At last, the show is over,” | 20 |
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| And the broad shadow of a cloud | |
| Moved from us like a moving crowd. | |
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