Love Sonnets of an Office Boy (Sonnet 23)

XXIII

THE other day a rusty pen got stuck

Away deep in her finger, and she held

Her poor, dear little hand up then and yelled

For me to hurry over there and suck

The poison out, and when I went I struck

My toe against the old man's cuspidor

And rolled about eight feet along the floor

Before I knew what happened, blame the luck!

When I set up and looked around, at last

That long-legged, homely clerk was there, and so

He had her finger in his mouth, and, oh,

I'll bet you I'd 'a' kicked him if I dast!

I never seen the beat the way things go

When there's a chance for me to stand a show.