| |
| WE are very slightly changed | |
| From the semi-apes who ranged | |
| India’s prehistoric clay; | |
| He that drew the longest bow | |
| Ran his brother down, you know, | 5 |
| As we run men down to-day. | |
| |
| “Dowb,” the first of all his race, | |
| Met the Mammoth face to face | |
| On the lake or in the cave: | |
| Stole the steadiest canoe, | 10 |
| Ate the quarry others slew, | |
| Died—and took the finest grave. | |
| |
| When they scratched the reindeer-bone, | |
| Some one made the sketch his own, | |
| Filched it from the artist—then, | 15 |
| Even in those early days, | |
| Won a simple Viceroy’s praise | |
| Through the toil of other men. | |
| Ere they hewed the Sphinx’s visage | |
| Favouritism governed kissage, | 20 |
| Even as it does in this age. | |
| |
| Who shall doubt “the secret hid | |
| Under Cheops’ pyramid” | |
| Was that the contractor did | |
| Cheops out of several millions? | 25 |
| Or that Joseph’s sudden rise | |
| To Comptroller of Supplies | |
| Was a fraud of monstrous size | |
| On King Pharaoh’s swart Civilians? | |
| |
| Thus, the artless songs I sing | 30 |
| Do not deal with anything | |
| New or never said before. | |
| As it was in the beginning | |
| Is to-day official sinning, | |
| And shall be for evermore! | 35 |
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